Ingrained
by JiltedScribe
Summary: Alicia Spinnet left England soon after Voldemort's defeat. She returns six years later to find a lot has changed. But also there's a lot that hasn't. For a start, she still fancies the pants off George Weasley. They have a lot of complications and obstacles to overcome before they get to happily ever after. AU Fred Lives! Story will heavily feature the OG Gryffindor Quidditch team.
1. Walk Down Memory Lane

Disclaimer: You know what I do and do not own.

A/N: Hi, everyone. Thanks for giving this a go with me. A few things just so we're all on the same page. This story is AU. Fred lives and George has both of his lovely ears. I've changed other bits and pieces of canon to suit myself, but you'll work that all out as we go. Rating is currently T because of swearing and adult themes but be warned that the rating will go up in future chapters.

Lastly, I've been away from the HP fandom for over a decade so I'm a little rusty when it comes to the 'verse in general. This fic has been a real labour of love for me and I'm glad to finally share it with you all! Enjoy!

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They say you can't go back home.

Alicia Spinnet didn't know who 'they' were exactly, but the smug bastards were right. This had been her last hope, but still she felt nothing. No wave of fond nostalgia. No warming of her heart. The tension in her body only seemed to be increasing.

It wasn't surprising that she hadn't felt at peace at her parents' new house. It wasn't her childhood home after all; it held no fond memories for her. Same thing at her new London flat, which was little more than an empty shell at the moment.

But _here_? Here of all places she had expected to feel something positive. Instead she felt nauseated and foolish. That one night had changed everything for her and she was stupid to think she was over it.

Alicia sighed and rested her cheek against the cold, wrought-iron gate. Hogwarts had been her favourite place in the world for so long and it was unfair that now her first memories of the grand castle were of the night Voldemort and his followers attacked it so viciously. She knew she actually had many good memories of her years there, but they all lay just out of reach and her mind was instead flooded with the sound of anguished screams and stone walls rending apart.

She had Apparated to Scotland on a whim an hour ago, then proceeded to walk solemnly around the school gates for a while before stopping and staring at the castle itself for a good fifteen minutes or so. The Hogwarts Express had only yesterday taken the school students home for summer, leaving the familiar grounds empty and eerily quiet. In reality everything looked the same, as if the carnage six years ago had never occurred, yet Hogwarts had still failed on all accounts to make her feel at home.

What a waste of an afternoon. The sun had now dropped behind the castle, allowing twilight to creep over Hogsmeade. The village looked as serene and picturesque as ever. A twinge deep down in Alicia's stomach made her start walking towards it. It wouldn't hurt to wander through the familiar streets now that she was all the way up here. Perhaps this would be the place that finally opened up its arms to welcome her back.

The combination of a warm summer's day and school holidays meant the village was rather busy. There was a fair bit of activity going on down the main street even at this hour. Shops were shutting up for the night and patrons were spilling out in search of something else to do. Like moths to a flame, they all seemed to be drawn to the Three Broomsticks.

Alicia knew she was going to have to pay a quick visit to the 'Sticks. It had always been her favourite part of Hogsmeade weekends. She hadn't realised till now how much she had missed English pub food. Ratatouille and beef bourguignon was all well and good but right now she was craving greasy, salty fish and chips.

She gladly joined the stream of cheery people filing into the pub and quickly snagged herself a table in the corner. Thankfully the menu hadn't changed so she already knew what she would order. Still, she kept her head down, eyes trained on the piece of parchment in front of her. She didn't particularly want to be recognised. Sure, she'd been back for almost three weeks now, but she'd deliberately kept to herself so far. She had a lot to get her head around first.

Alicia's eyes gradually began flicking up and scanning the place cautiously. She was mildly alarmed to spot Professor Vector sitting only a few tables away. She leaned forward and let her long brown hair fall around her face like a curtain. This reaction was perhaps a little dramatic as she hadn't even taken Arithmancy, but Alicia was well-known throughout the school thanks to Quidditch. A lot of people could recognise her and she wouldn't necessarily have a clue who they were.

Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea after all. She should get settled in first then come back. Maybe with Angelina and Katie, just like the old days.

"Can I get you something, love?"

Alicia looked up to see a waitress expectantly holding a notepad and quill. She couldn't very well get up and walk out now. That would be untoward. Clearly her time in France hadn't served to quash her neurotic British tendencies because she stayed put.

"Oh, uh, fish and chips please," she said, then followed it up with the pleasant smile she always reserved for people who waited on her.

"Right." The waitress scrawled on the pad then ripped off the top page. The scrap of parchment slowly floated up above her head then took off like a shot towards the kitchen. "Might be a bit of a wait tonight, love. Couple of staff off sick, you know."

Alicia balked then half rose out of her seat. "Well, then actually I'll uh…"

But it was too late. The older witch had already flashed her a smile and spun around to take the order of another table. Resigned to her fate, Alicia sighed and stood up the rest of the way. Might as well get a drink to pass some time and hopefully take the edge off a little. Her fight or flight response was kicking in and the consensus seemed to be that she ought to run for her life.

By the time she had returned to her table with her Firewhiskey, the pub was just about full. She began to recognise more and more people and it was only a matter of time before someone recognised her back. Her heart leapt every time she caught a glimpse of blonde hair. Last year Katie had taken over from Madam Hooch as the new flying instructor at Hogwarts so it was possible she was living in the village now.

Alicia took a sip of her drink and winced as it blazed a trail down her throat. What would she even say to Katie if she suddenly appeared? Where would she start? Truth be told, things had pretty much gone to shit the moment she graduated.

Alicia had always expected to end up working in the doldrums of the Ministry after she left school. It was an inevitability for someone with her mediocre academic record. The Quidditch scouts never came knocking; she wasn't enough of an all-rounder. She had her strengths (impeccable aim and co-ordination) but without Angelina and Katie beside her she was an average player at best.

Unfortunately, the class of '96 was the first to leave the safety of Hogwarts while the magical world was at war. With the Ministry in disarray, Alicia's plans had to change. Her half-blood status wasn't looked upon favourably at the time so she'd had little choice but to keep her head down and work in the Muggle world for an extended period. She hopped from job to menial job for a while, never settling or finding any personal fulfilment. Then the Battle of Hogwarts happened.

Honestly, her part in the fight had been so inconsequential as to be laughable. But everything changed after that night and Alicia had suddenly found herself working at the Ministry as a junior assistant in the Magical Transportation Department. It was a mind-numbingly boring job, but it was a foot in the door nonetheless.

When Voldemort died it wasn't only the British Ministry that was left decimated. Across the Channel, the French Ministry had also been under Death Eater control for many months. The newly elected French Minister reached out for help and Tiberius Ogden, once an esteemed member of the Wizengamot, came out of retirement and volunteered to assist in weeding out any remaining dark wizards. Trouble was, Tiberius Ogden had never been to France and didn't speak a work of French.

Alicia was only one of dozens of Ministry employees who applied to be his assistant. She was both the youngest and the least qualified, but she was given the position nonetheless. Alicia had been under no illusions at the time; she knew why she had been picked. Rita Skeeter had just published a Daily Prophet article all about Dumbledore's Army and though Alicia had barely been mentioned (in fact, Skeeter had somehow managed to misspell both her first and last name) it was still enough to catch people's attention.

It especially caught the attention of Mr Ogden, who had been an outspoken, lifelong supporter of Dumbledore. Ultimately, Alicia's tenuous association with Dumbledore and Harry had afforded her an amazing opportunity and she had jumped at the chance to spend six months working in France, a country she loved and had links to through her paternal Muggle grandmother.

Well, six months had turned into six long years and here she was, sneaking back into the country, feeling like an outsider and unsure of her next step. She needed a new job though. That would be a good start. The British Ministry would take her back, presumably, but she didn't think she wanted that anymore. Perhaps it was time to-

"Sorry to bother you..."

Alicia stopped daydreaming and looked up into the inquisitive hazel eyes of a baby-faced young man who looked fresh out of Hogwarts. "Yes," she replied hesitantly.

"I couldn't help but notice you're sitting alone," he said, gesturing to the three empty seats at Alicia's table.

"That's right," she said, cocking an eyebrow. Wait, was this kid hitting on her? She had to have at least six years on him. She readied herself to rebuff him gently.

"I'm meeting a couple of friends here for drinks tonight and there's nowhere else to sit. Do you mind if we join your table? I promise we won't bother you at all."

Alicia's shoulders slumped a little. Her self-esteem suitably dented, she nodded and waved her arm to encompass the empty chairs. "Make yourself at home. I won't be here for long anyway. Just waiting on my dinner to arrive."

The young man beamed and turned around to wave at someone on the other side of the pub. He turned back to Alicia and pulled out the chair opposite her. "Thanks for this. I didn't fancy standing up all night after being on my feet at work all day. You know what I mean?"

"Definitely," Alicia agreed blithely.

Another young man, juggling three glasses of what she suspected was more Firewhisky, joined the table and sat next to his friend. "Bloody busy in here tonight," he remarked jovially. He slid a glass across the table. "Here, have a drink for your troubles, ma'am."

Alicia winced_. Ma'am_. She felt positively ancient now. She pushed the drink back across the table. "No trouble at all, lads. I'm still working on my first drink, though. Thanks all the same."

The kid with the hazel eyes shook his head and slid the drink back her way. "We insist. The line at the bar is terrible tonight."

"Well, since you insist. Cheers," she said, raising the glass to each of them. She took the tiniest of sips and forced a smile.

It was going to be a long night. She peered around the pub again. Where the hell was her food? She'd ordered fish and chips, not a five course banquet. Had someone gone out to catch the bloody fish first? While she waited impatiently she began to peruse the dessert menu and half-listened to the rather boring conversation going on between the new occupants of her table.

"Where's the boss?"

"He was just closing up when I left. Should be here any minute."

The apple crumble with a side of ice cream had always been to die for. Maybe they still used the same recipe. The chocolate cake was also amazing and had been Katie's absolute favourite. Perhaps she could grab something sweet to take home with her. If Jake was lucky she might even manage to save him a few bites.

"What a day, huh. Did he ever work out why we got a hundred extra Dungbombs delivered today?"

Wait. Who the hell needed one hundred Dungbombs delivered? Who needed _any_ Dungbombs delivered come to think of it? Alicia's heart rate started to creep up. She kept her head down but watched the young men from beneath her lashes.

"Apparently some sort of error on the order," the second guy reported. "No point sending them back though. They'll sell eventually. We're just gonna send half over to the guys at Diagon Alley in the morning."

"Excuse me," Alicia interrupted timidly, "but where exactly do you two work?"

Both men looked over at her, seemingly startled to find she was listening to their private conversation. By now Alicia was clutching the dessert menu so tightly that it was nothing but a crumpled mess in her fist.

"We work around the corner at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. You know, with George Weasley."

Holy shit. Holy double shit. Of all the people in the entire world to end up seeing tonight…

_Do not panic_. Alicia took a deep breath and slowly smoothed the menu out on the table in front of her. She had options here. She could say she was just going to use the loo and duck out the back door. Or she could feign a dizzy spell.

"Alicia Spinnet? Wow. What a pleasant surprise."

This had to be karma getting back at her. She should have stayed at the flat and finished unpacking and sorting through her things. Well, she couldn't very well ignore him now he was standing right next to her. That would be childish and more than a little weird on her part. She schooled her expression into one of nonchalance and looked up.

"Hello, George. Fancy seeing you here."

George Weasley stared down at her, a hint of curiosity in his all-too-familiar brown eyes. Alicia's mouth went dry. He still looked the same. Better actually. His hair was still shaggy and a little unkempt. It seemed to be streaked with darker copper tones now, although that could have just been a trick of the low light. He was wearing Muggle clothing along with about half the patrons in the pub. He was wearing khaki trousers and a blue, long-sleeved Henley shirt to be exact. He still had the classic stocky build of a Beater, but there was muscle definition that definitely hadn't existed back at Hogwarts.

Why the hell was she staring blankly at his broad chest and not saying anything? She had better say something. Anything would do.

Now would be a good time. _Literally anything, Spinnet!_

George wasn't saying anything either. Why wasn't _he_ talking?

Someone else at the table broke the tense silence. "Uh, do you two know each other or something?"

George finally tore his gaze away from Alicia in order to give the young man a withering look. "Of course I know her, idiot. I just said her name, didn't I?"

Alicia saw her chance. She cleared her throat loudly and stood up. "Well, it was really great to see you again, George. We'll have to catch up properly some time. Not now though. I've got somewhere else to be. I only stopped in for a quick drink on my way to somewhere else. You know how it is. Rush, rush!"

George looked a little baffled. He stepped aside though so she could get by.

Unfortunately, a waitress chose that very second to bustle over and drop Alicia's food on the table. "Here's your dinner, ma'am. Sorry for the long wait. It's a real madhouse tonight."

Alicia felt a blush spread across her cheeks. For God's sake. Worst possible timing in the world.

George rolled his eyes and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Sit down and eat your food, Alicia. I can tell I'm going to need a drink tonight so I'm going over to the bar. If you're quick enough you can be done before I get back."

Alicia sat down and pretended that she hadn't just been caught trying to run away like a huge prat. She had thought her days of embarrassing herself in front of George Weasley were long over. She stared down at her food, acutely aware that he was still standing over her.

"Or you could stay and we could be adults and have a nice, friendly conversation," George said.

Alicia looked up, ready to say that she wasn't in the mood for a walk down memory lane, but he was already striding away through the crowd. So she turned back to her plate and stabbed at a chip. As she half-heartedly began to eat, she could feel George's employees staring at her.

"We were in the same year at Hogwarts, all right. I can't eat while you're both looking at me."

Not that it mattered. Alicia wasn't even hungry anymore. She was just going through the motions while her brain was screaming at her to get out of there and never return to Hogsmeade again. Seeing George brought back too many bad memories. It had been eight…wait, no, almost _ten_ years. Why was it all so raw still? Flashes of the Yule Ball were crowding her mind. Flashes of being in her dorm room that night with George.

It hadn't been his fault, she reminded herself. It was such a long time ago. They had both been teenagers who hardly knew better. How many times had she wished she had handled things differently back then? Now was her chance to put things right between them. She was a grown woman now with many years of life experience behind her. George seemed to want to talk things through. He was extending an olive branch to her, which would be rude to ignore given the circumstances.

All the same, some liquid courage would be welcome right about now. Alicia reached for one of her drinks and downed it in one quick gulp. She spluttered a little. It was as if someone had lit a bonfire in her chest. The Firewhisky then settled warmly in the pit of her stomach and she immediately felt calmer. Through the crowd she could see George leaning against the bar talking to one of the barmaids. He'd be back soon with his drink. Alicia reached for the other glass in front of her.

"Hey, maybe you should slow down. That stuff can kick your arse if you're not used to it," Hazel Eyes cautioned.

Alicia's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me? I was drinking Firewhisky back when you were probably still getting stuck on the moving staircases at Hogwarts. I think I know how many I can handle."

Her rebuke was met with surprised silence and she immediately regretted being so snippy to an innocent young man she didn't know. Maybe she wasn't in a good headspace to be spending time with George. She'd been through a lot in the last few years. Not to mention the last few weeks, which had been an outright nightmare.

Any last minute thoughts of escaping were put to rest when George returned with two drinks in his hands. He placed one of them in front of Alicia then pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. "Hope you don't mind. I figure we could both do with a drink right about now."

"I already have one," Alicia replied, lifting her glass.

"Plus she just drank another one."

George waved his hand dismissively. "Another won't hurt you. And who appointed Derek drinks monitor for the night? What are you two even doing at this table? You better not be hitting on my friend here," he said.

Alicia considered that label for a moment. Events of the Yule Balls aside, she supposed they had been friends for most of their time at Hogwarts. Not terribly close, but friendly enough. She knew, however, if it weren't for the fact that they had been housemates and teammates, she would never have been on his social radar. She would have been stuck admiring him from even further away in that case.

"No one's hitting on me," she said. "There's no spare seats anywhere else, that's all. Besides, I doubt I'm their type."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Derek here loves older women. I bet he spotted you the moment he walked in. Am I right?"

The hazel eyed one across from her - Derek apparently - just smiled and shrugged at George's comment. "What can I say? I happen to value experience and it's not often I see a woman in here I don't already know."

Alicia might have felt flattered if she wasn't completely focussed on how close George was to her now. The men were still talking around her but she was preoccupied with trying to see if he was wearing a wedding ring. Her peripheral vision was getting her nowhere, so under the pretence of tossing her hair over her shoulder, she turned her head to catch a glimpse.

No ring? _Really_? Alicia frowned and sipped absently at her drink. No ring didn't necessarily mean anything these days. Some major Weasley gossip had made the trashier papers in Paris. For instance, she knew George now had three nieces thanks to Bill and Percy, but for the most part she deliberately avoided reading about what was going on back home. Aside from it making her homesick, she didn't feel like she deserved to know what was going on with Harry and the Weasley family. That would be intruding on something she was no longer a part of.

"So what brings you all the way up here to Hogsmeade tonight?"

Alicia snapped out of her reverie and tried to come up with an answer for George that wouldn't make her sound like an idiot. "Er, I'm not really sure. I had nowhere else to be tonight and, uh, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

Alicia groaned inwardly. What kind of response was that to give? George didn't seem to find it to be a good enough answer either.

"So you didn't come here to see me?" he asked.

"No way," she blurted without thinking. She then quickly tried to back-track. "I mean, not that I wouldn't have come to see you eventually. I had no idea you were working in Hogsmeade. You are definitely the last person I thought I'd see tonight."

George didn't say anything. To his credit, Alicia wasn't sure what he could say to such a blunt answer. She turned away and saw Derek and the other bloke staring at them, clearly riveted by what was going on.

"How about we get out of here," George finally said. He nodded towards his employees. "We clearly aren't going to get any privacy with these two hanging on our every word."

Alicia hesitated for a second. Perhaps it was the Firewhisky talking but she nodded and said, "I suppose we could go for a walk or something. That might be all right."

George finished the rest of his drink in one mouthful. "I promise I won't keep you out long."

For a moment Alicia contemplated downing her remaining drinks as well. It was probably a better idea for her to keep a clear head for the conversation she knew was coming. She handed a drink to each of the young men then pulled some coins out of her pocket and dropped them on the table to pay for her half-eaten dinner. "It was nice meeting you, Derek, and uh…"

"Patrick," he supplied. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Yeah, we've never gotten to meet one of the boss's ex-girlfriends before," Derek chipped in. "We were beginning to think he'd never even _had_ a girlfriend. This is a stunning revelation."

George made a groaning noise in the back of his throat and Alicia just smiled and said, "Sorry, but I was never his girlfriend. We played on the Gryffindor Quidditch team together and that was the extent of it."

"Exactly," George said, standing up and pointing a menacing finger at Derek and Patrick in turn. "You two better remember who pays your wages. And don't stay out all night because it's my day off tomorrow and I'm not covering for either of you because you're hungover."

"Come on, boss, when have we ever let you down?"

George's only reply was a dubious scoff. Alicia stood up and said, "Well then, have a good night, guys."

"You kids go and enjoy yourselves," Derek said, tossing the pair a suggestive wink and smile.

"Okay, that's definitely enough now," George said firmly. He put his hand on Alicia's lower back and guided her away from the table.

They made their way through the crowd, George's hand providing gentle guidance the whole way. Alicia's body had seized up at the slight touch. It felt like his fingers were burning through her thin shirt. Once the shock of George's hand on her back wore off she became aware that conversations were stopping and heads were turning as they walked by.

"Is it just me or is everyone suddenly staring at us?" Alicia asked quietly.

"Ignore it. Hogsmeade is back to being a small, quiet village where nothing much happens. I've barely lived here a year and everyone already thinks my business is their business. If I so much as smile at a woman it's the talk of the village."

Alicia absorbed these crumbs of information greedily and tried to stop herself from getting carried away. It was sounding like the impossible was true. George Weasley, a handsome, successful businessman – not to mention war hero – was still single at age twenty-six.

He was seemingly single and up for grabs, but now she had Jake. Fate was indeed a fickle bitch.

George opened the door and ushered her out into the cool evening air. "I can show you the shop if you like. We ended up buying the old Zonko's space just around the corner."

"I'd love to see it," she answered earnestly.

They walked along in silence. Alicia didn't know where to begin and she figured George was having the same problem. There didn't seem to be any safe topic of conversation so they continued on, both looking fastidiously at the dark, familiar shops they were passing. The last time she had been in Hogsmeade it had been under the control of Death Eaters. But just like Hogwarts, everything had been repaired and rebuilt now.

The village still physically looked the same, but something was definitely different. The atmosphere had changed somehow. She hadn't been able to pinpoint it back at the 'Sticks either. Something had shifted during her absence. Something fundamental.

"Everyone's happy now," Alicia suddenly realised out loud.

"Hmm?"

"Sorry. Thinking out loud to myself."

George nodded, obviously understanding her meaning anyway. "It's a relief, isn't it? Things were still pretty shite when you left. Everyone was still mourning and the school was decimated. It took a few years, but for the most part people are settled and relaxed now."

"A lot of people back there were wearing Muggle clothing. I don't think I made the connection at first because it's always been normal in France."

"No one has to worry about accidentally taking a side by wearing the wrong thing anymore. Mum and Dad reckon the magical world hasn't been this upbeat and carefree since the sixties."

They lapsed into silence. Alicia shook her head a little in disbelief. She wasn't normally the type to dwell on past mistakes, but it was impossible not to when it came to George Weasley. There had been quite a few.

She cleared her throat then said, "You know, thirteen years ago I'd have given up a kidney for the chance to walk through Hogsmeade like this with you."

George chuckled. "Ah, the infamous crush."

"It was hardly infamous. You didn't even know about it for years."

"What can I say? I was a late bloomer, as mum puts it. I ignored every girl at school though, not just you."

At least that much was true. Alicia was lucky she had never had to endure the pain of watching him with another girl. Fred and Lee had been frequent visitors to the Astronomy Tower, but George hadn't ever shown any interest in a fellow classmate. At least not till sixth year when the announcement of the Yule Ball had forced his hand and for some reason he'd picked her.

The pair rounded a corner and were in the heart of the village. Alicia was pleased to see Honeydukes looking as welcoming and enticing as ever. And Scrivenshafts was still standing, as well. A little further along, right between Gladrags and a new shop that sold cauldrons, stood Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It was smaller than the shop in Diagon Alley, but the décor was identical – garish with a touch of whimsy. Alicia had only been inside the original shop twice but she had loved it immediately. It seemed to perfectly embody the twins in both design and spirit.

"Here it is," George said proudly as he produced his wand from his pocket. "This is the place that has consumed my life for the last two years. This is my baby."

He pointed his wand at the lock and whispered something that Alicia didn't catch. The door swept open and light immediately blossomed through the shop as wall sconces lit themselves. Alicia stepped inside and was hit by a wave of fond nostalgia. She could see Canary Creams and fake wands. Even some Pygmy Puffs in a cage in the far corner. Seeing the twins demonstrating a new invention usually made the Gryffindor common room buzz with excitement. Alicia had always been astounded by their ingenuity and passion. Too bad she'd been too shy to actually say that to George all those years ago.

"So, what do you think?"

Alicia turned back to where George was still standing in the doorway. He seemed anxious, as if her opinion really mattered to him. "It's amazing, George. Really great."

"Thanks. Fred and I think it's pretty great, too."

George closed the door and Alicia began to take a proper look around at the products. There was plenty that she didn't recognise. "I see you two still come up with new stuff. That's good to know."

"Honestly, Fred and I don't come up with products as often now that we live apart. Our new staff pitch us ideas all the time though. Feel free to sample anything you like the look of," he added casually.

Alicia knew he was smiling without having to turn around. She pointedly clasped her hands behind her back. "Not a chance. Just how gullible do you think I am?"

"Come on, nothing in here is dangerous. Most of our customers are Hogwarts students and McGonagall herself checks that we only sell the innocuous stuff at this shop."

"So no Skiving Snackboxes?" Alicia asked, suddenly remembering a horrible incident with Katie back at school.

"Definitely not. Here, give this one a try."

Alicia turned around and found George standing right behind her holding something that looked exactly like a dandelion clock. Except it was the size of her fist. "What does it do?"

"Just blow on it gently and you'll find out. I promise it's safe."

Alicia narrowed her eyes suspiciously. The sight of George's smile, however, totally disarmed her. He was close enough that she could make out the faint dimples she remembered well. The slight creases at the corners of his brown eyes were new, but they suited him. How was it possible that he looked even better than the idealised image she'd taken to France with her six years ago?

Alicia blew gently on the object and the 'seeds' drifted off in all directions. Then one by one they began to explode into bright little sparks, as if each seed was a tiny fire cracker.

"See? Perfectly harmless," George said, as the display came to a gradual end.

Alicia waved away the wisps of smoke lingering between them and smiled. "That's brilliant, George. I much prefer that to a Dungbomb or a Portable Swamp."

"So does McGonagall, funnily enough. We call it a Dandy Sparkler. It was actually Derek's idea originally then Fred and I helped him bring it to life."

George went to throw the Dandy Sparkler stem into a bin by the side of the counter. Alicia continued her perusal of the products, still being careful not to touch anything. Not many people had believed that the twins would ever make a living from their love of pranks and jokes. Alicia herself had been one of those people back at school, but now she realised just how serious and committed they had been all along.

Strained silence reigned again. Alicia continued to wander around aimlessly, trying to come up with something to say. Why did it have to be George bloody Weasley of all people? Even running into Angelina would have been preferable. At least she knew where she stood on that front: Angelina was going to kill her for disappearing all those years ago. Alicia had no idea how George was feeling. Had he even cared when she left? Granted, he'd had a fair bit going on in his life at the time. Perhaps he hadn't even spared her a moment's thought.

God, she'd had such an intense crush on him through most of her teenage years. Those same feelings were washing over her again as an adult. She liked to think she was now confident and self-aware and less of a shrinking violet but either she was delusional or she was regressing. She suddenly felt so plain and awkward and boring compared to how perfect and charming he obviously still was. And she felt nervous all of a sudden. She never felt nervous around men anymore.

Then again, she wasn't in the presence of just any man.

"So. Are you back for good or just for a visit?"

Alicia stopped walking and turned to find George now sitting on the edge of the counter intently watching her senseless meandering. "I'm back for good," she answered, then turned away before she could see his reaction. "I moved back about three weeks ago and stayed with my parents up till a few days ago when I moved into a flat in London."

"Had enough of France finally?"

"Something like that." Alicia winced. Seriously. Why couldn't she just answer the damn question? Most of their past issues had stemmed from their inability to communicate with each other. "Er, I mean it was time for me to move on. Professionally I mean," she answered lamely.

George nodded. "Right, but weren't you personal assistant to the French Minister for Magic? That seems like a pretty good job."

It had been. That was precisely why Alicia had stayed in France for so long. When her time with Tiberius Ogden was up she'd been all set to return to England. The French Minister for Magic had other ideas though. Marie Du Ponte had taken a strong liking to her for some reason and she was not a woman who took no for an answer. Alicia's impetuous decision to accept Marie's job offer had set her on a path that led her further and further away from her old life back home. Then once Jake came into her life it became easier and easier to just stay put.

"It was amazing at first, don't get me wrong. I just thought it was time to come home and try my hand at something new. I haven't found a new job as of yet but I'm keeping my eye out for something fun and challenging."

George leaned back on his hands and regarded her with a look that seemed oddly suspicious. "Last I heard you were happily living in Paris with some French bloke."

"Last you heard?" Alicia repeated. She hadn't had any contact whatsoever with George since leaving England after Voldemort's defeat. How could he know she had met someone in France?

"You wrote Angelina a congratulatory letter three years ago when the Arrows won the Quidditch League. She gave it to me to read."

Of course she did. Alicia studiously examined a display of WonderWitch products and hoped George wouldn't see how red her cheeks were becoming. Now she was even more thankful that she hadn't mentioned Jake in that letter.

"I remember that letter pretty well," George continued. "You didn't say much about your boyfriend. Mostly you talked about your work at the French Ministry. The P.S. you added at the end was the best part though. 'Say hi to Fred and George for me!' I was really touched to be merely an afterthought in your letter."

The sarcasm in his voice struck a chord and Alicia whirled around. He was still leaning back on his hands, with his ankles crossed now, looking perfectly calm and casual. Meanwhile, Alicia's heart was racing and her face was burning.

She planted her hands on her hips. "Hold on, I don't ever recall receiving any sort of letter from _you_. Why am I the one who's supposed to do all the work?"

"Because you're the one who left without so much as a goodbye."

George had said it matter-of-factly. He hadn't even raised his voice, but still the words hit Alicia like a slap in the face. She hated herself for running away, but hearing the reality that her behaviour had upset George made it a million times worse. Truth be told, she had gone to the shop once to say goodbye but he hadn't been there that day. Then for some stupid reason she had decided that was a sign that she wasn't meant to have her closure with him. She left for France two days later.

"I think I should go," Alicia said, feeling tears stinging at the back of her eyes.

"I think you should come and sit down. Or stand still at the very least. Your pacing is hurting my neck."

"Why? What's the point, George? What are we even doing here?"

"Reminiscing about the good old times we had?"

Alicia scoffed sharply. "What good old times, exactly? The few Quidditch games we won together before you got banned? The years I spent fancying you from afar and being completely ignored in return? Yeah, best years of my life."

"Look, I've already apologised for my obliviousness back at school and I don't want you to get upset again but we need to talk about a few difficult things. You can leave after I've cleared my conscience," he said firmly.

Alicia almost made a run for the door. Here we go. Time to re-live one of the best – but simultaneously one of the worst – nights of her life. "If you're talking about the Yule Ball then don't bother. That's ancient history now."

George raised his eyebrows dubiously. "Really? So you _never_ think about it?"

She was thinking about it now, whether she wanted to or not. It had started out so perfectly. Dancing with George, drinking punch, giggling and kissing. Then she had gone and made the fateful suggestion that they sneak out and go back to her room to be alone. Unsurprisingly, George had a way to get around the spell on the girls' staircase. It had seemed like the stars had aligned perfectly.

Losing her virginity on the night of the Yule Ball to the boy she'd secretly adored for years? It couldn't have been more perfect.

Except…

"You're thinking about it now," George said. "I can tell by the horrified look on your face."

Alicia folded her arms defensively and tried to keep her expression neutral. "You don't know what I'm thinking about. Besides, it wasn't that bad."

"It was fucking awful and you know it."

"All right, it was pretty bad," she allowed, "but there's no reason you shouldn't have a clear conscience. We both played our part that night."

George nodded thoughtfully. "I've always wondered why you lied to me."

"I thought you wouldn't come back to my room if you thought I was still a virgin," Alicia admitted. "I've always been curious about that too. Why did _you_ feel the need to lie and pretend you weren't a virgin either?"

George shrugged awkwardly and finally looked a little less calm and confident. "I thought you'd laugh in my face or something. I don't know really. I was a teenage boy with zero experience with girls. I thought you'd want to be with someone who knew what he was doing. Obviously that was before I found out you'd had a huge crush on me since third year."

Alicia rolled her eyes and sniffed haughtily. "Please, George, it was a little crush. Let's not get carried away here."

"Oh, really? Angelina once told me that you compulsively wrote 'I love George Weasley' in the back of every single one of your school notebooks at the beginning of the year."

Alicia slapped her hands over her eyes and shook her head. "Seriously. I'm going to kill her when I see her."

The tension had eased slightly now. It felt cathartic to talk about the Yule Ball. The truth was, Alicia had thought about that night a fair bit over the years. Not so much the horrible moment itself – she'd more or less gotten over that – but she always wondered how things would have turned out if she and George had both been honest.

What if she had plucked up the courage to reveal her crush to him before the Yule Ball? What if she had admitted she was a virgin and they'd had the romantic, magical sort of night she'd always imagined having her first time? Could they be married with kids by now? Would their relationship have been strong enough to survive the war when so many others had crumbled under the pressure?

Alicia shook her head and took a cleansing breath. All those stupid hypotheticals had swooped around her brain for years. This was the reality of it and there was no hiding from it anymore.

George jumped down off the counter and made his way towards her. "Look, I know we both made mistakes that night, but I've felt so guilty and so ashamed for too long. I'm sorry about everything that happened. I need to know you forgive me."

Alicia looked up into his pleading eyes and her heart almost broke. "You have nothing to be sorry about, George. You weren't to blame for any of it."

"It was entirely my fault that it lasted all of five minutes."

"Okay, I'll give you that much, but you were a sixteen-year-old boy."

"I shouldn't have just left you straight afterwards."

"I told you to leave," she reminded him gently.

George shook his head defiantly. "No, I should have stayed regardless. You were crying and shaking."

"Only because I hadn't expected it to hurt that much. I always assumed my years of playing Quidditch had taken care of that particular barrier for me. So I suppose there was some shock alongside the pain and I didn't want you to see me like that."

Alicia realised she'd said the wrong thing when George turned on his heel and stalked back over to the counter. She hurried after him and grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn back around to face her. "Stop worrying about it. I just told you I don't blame you for anything. Even if I had told you I was a virgin and you had been slower and gentler, it still would have hurt. That's just how it goes."

George refused to let up though. "The thing is, I feel like I pushed you into it," he continued. "I'd spent all week listening to Fred and Lee boasting that they were going to lose their virginity after the ball. I was so clueless with girls that I figured I'd be a virgin till I graduated, then we went upstairs and it was like a miracle was happening. I was terrified the whole time that you were going to change your mind, so I never stopped to ask you how you were feeling about it all."

"That's what's been worrying you for all these years?" Alicia asked, utterly aghast that George had been living with such dark thoughts for so long. "You think you forced me into something I didn't want to do? Good Godric. You couldn't have found a more willing partner in the whole school! I was the one who suggested we go back to my room in the first place, remember?"

"But then you couldn't look me in the eye for the rest of the school year. I figured you hated me for what I did."

"I was really embarrassed. That's all! I finally got a chance with you and it was a disaster all because I was too scared to admit I hadn't had sex before. Plus, I'd just admitted to fancying you for years, which was a whole other embarrassing circumstance."

George suddenly grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in for a hug. For a second she was startled but he was so warm and solid that she couldn't resist wrapping her arms around him. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Now Alicia was glad she had made an impulsive decision to Apparate to Hogsmeade that night. There was no way she could have guessed she'd end up in George Weasley's arms.

"Is that why you never came to say goodbye? You were still embarrassed?" George asked.

Alicia rubbed her cheek against the soft cotton of his shirt. _This_ was the conversation she really didn't want to have. It was so unfair that the two worst events of her life were intrinsically tied to George. She thought about the Yule Ball and she automatically thought about George. The other event was the one that still troubled her though.

"Alicia?" he said softly. He unwound her arms from his waist and stepped back so he could look her in the eye. "Were you really still that embarrassed three and a half years later?"

"Yeah, I was embarrassed," she admitted under the scrutiny of his questioning gaze. "But not about that. The Yule Ball wasn't the worst night of my life – not by a long shot."

Alicia could tell that he knew immediately which night she was talking about. The night they had both returned to the school to stand against Voldemort and his followers. The night Harry had almost died. The night George had almost died. Deep down she knew that was why she had been drawn up to Scotland. She had wanted to see for herself that Hogwarts was still standing, that it had really withstood everything that Voldemort and the Death Eaters had thrown at it.

"How could you possibly be embarrassed about the Battle? I know plenty of people who still have all sorts of issues when they think about it, but no one's _embarrassed_. That makes no sense, Alicia."

"I hate thinking about that night. I've only ever told one other person what happened to me."

"Something happened to you? What happened? As far as I knew you weren't hurt. Fred told me you got hit by a Stunning hex but you were fine afterwards," George said quickly, looking alarmed.

Alicia sighed and leaned back against the counter. "I'm the most useless Gryffindor of all time. I let Dumbledore and Harry down. Worst of all I let you down."

George crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. For the first time that night Alicia caught a glimpse of annoyance flash across his features. "I don't understand. You need to explain yourself right now," he said tersely.

Alicia looked studiously at the floor between her feet. "I'll try. My memory of that night isn't perfect. I know Kingsley Shacklebolt sent me off with Fred and Lee to guard a passageway. I think maybe Katie and Oliver were with us, but that part's a bit hazy."

George nodded. "I know you went with Fred and Lee and some others, but Oliver and Katie were with me and Ange."

"Right. So I was in a corridor somewhere with Fred and Lee when the midnight deadline passed. We were all right for a good half hour or so then a pair of Death Eaters appeared out of nowhere. It was chaos, George. It wasn't anything like duelling at the DA meetings. I didn't know what I was doing."

"None of us were prepared for a fight like that. That doesn't make you a failure or an embarrassment."

"The Death Eaters were advancing on us," Alicia ploughed on, not wanting to lose her nerve now. "I was panicking and flailing and I suddenly couldn't think of a single spell or hex. Fred and Lee told me to get behind them and that's what I was doing when I stumbled. I saw a Death Eater pointing his wand at me but I was already falling backwards so the Stunning hex missed. The problem was I was too focussed on the hex flying at me that I didn't brace myself for the fall and my head hit the stone floor. I was out cold instantly."

"And then what?" George prompted after a moment of silence.

"And then nothing – I guess I was unconscious for an hour or so. Fred and Lee had left me lying there. They must have figured I would get up once the Stunning hex wore off."

"There's no way they would have left you there if they'd known what really happened. They did the right thing and led the Death Eaters away from you so you'd have time to recover. Fred said he thought you must have joined another group when you didn't catch up with them."

"I know, George," Alicia said quickly, holding up a placating hand. He was suddenly looking very agitated and she knew why. "I've never blamed Fred or Lee or anyone else for what happened. They didn't realise I was unconscious rather than momentarily Stunned. No one did."

"Shit, Alicia," George muttered, rubbing his hand along his jaw. "When did you come around?"

"The fighting had stopped but Voldemort wasn't dead yet so I figure it was during the one hour armistice. I missed so much of the fight while I was napping in a corridor."

"You were injured. It wasn't your fault."

"Of course it was my fault!" Alicia snapped. "I got scared and tripped over my own feet. Who the hell does that during a ferocious battle? Certainly not a Hogwarts graduate who was in Gryffindor and Dumbledore's Army."

"Come on, you need to give yourself a break. What did you do when you woke up? I bet you got up and were ready to get back into the fight, even with a concussion. _That's_ what makes you a Gryffindor."

"Uh, no," Alicia answered bitterly. "I didn't wake up till I felt someone lifting me off the floor. I was fading in and out and my vision was still blurry. All I knew was someone with red hair was carrying me back to the Hospital Wing. I thought you had come to get me but it was one of your older brothers – Charlie, I think. I didn't know yet that you were...well..."

"In a different corridor almost bleeding to death," George finished bluntly. "You weren't the only one who missed out on most of the fighting."

"But you were actually injured during a duel with a Death Eater. It was a totally different situation." Alicia reached out to grasp his forearm. She needed to clear her own conscience and exorcise the demons that had haunted _her_ for years. "I was so upset when I heard you had been badly hurt. I wanted to go and see you but it turned out I had suffered a skull fracture so I was sedated then evacuated to St Mungo's at the earliest opportunity."

George pried her hand off his arm and held it tightly in his own. "I'm glad you never got to see me. It wasn't pretty."

"I'm so sorry, George. I should have done a better job. I should have been brave like you and Harry. I should-"

Alicia's next sentence was cut short when George abruptly pulled her towards him. He cupped her face in his hands and before she could process what was happening, he was kissing her. Long and hard. After a second she pressed herself against him and buried her hands in his hair. This was so much better than their fumbling snogging at the Yule Ball. They both appeared to have had some practice over the intervening years.

George began to force her back and she reached behind herself to grope blindly for the counter before she ran into it. His arms were already around her torso though, cushioning her from the impact. Just as his tongue slid into the mouth, he also slid his hands beneath her shirt and gripped her hips. Alicia could feel her knees slowly buckling. Luckily she was currently being sandwiched between George and the shop counter.

Still, she knew she had to stop somehow. She had to tell him about Jake before it was too late. He deserved to know what he was getting himself into. His perfect hands and mouth would make her lose all inhibitions in a matter of seconds. She had to do it now.

Alicia purposefully wrenched her lips away and turned her head. "George."

"I'm sorry," he said, breathing heavily. "It seemed like a good way to get you to shut up. I hate talking about the Battle. Makes my scar twinge."

"You have a scar?"

"Only a small one. Didn't I just tell you I hate talking about all that?"

George tilted his head to catch her lips again. She shook her head and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. He let her go so abruptly that she almost fell over.

"Bloody hell," George mumbled, running his fingers through his hair roughly. "You're still with that bloke from the letter. I should have asked first."

"No, no. I'm single. Very single," Alicia said.

"Then you don't want me to kiss you?"

"No, it's definitely not that. There's something you need to know. I didn't exactly come back from France alone."

George frowned and simply said, "huh?"

"I have a son," Alicia blurted. Her heart was racing as she scrutinised his face to catch his reaction. He gave her nothing but a blank stare. "I have a four-year-old son, George."

He just looked confused now. "But…wait, no. How is that even possible? You had a baby four years ago? In France?"

Alicia was twisting her hands nervously in front of herself. She had no clue which way this was going to go. "His name is Jake and he's the best kid ever. He's really smart and sweet and he already knows everything there is to know about Quidditch."

"Hold on. I think I've missed a bit here. You had a secret baby overseas? How did no one know about this? There's no way Angelina and Katie could have kept news like this to themselves."

"I was only twenty-two when I had Jake. Plus, he wasn't exactly planned. I didn't know what everyone back here would say."

"We probably would have said congratulations if you'd have given us the chance."

George turned and walked away and Alicia's heart sank. At first she thought he was going to walk right back out the door and leave her standing alone in the shop. Instead, he stood with his back to her and stared out at the dark, quiet village. Alicia didn't know what she was supposed to say at this point. She figured saying nothing was probably best for now.

A whole minute passed before George turned around. He didn't walk back over to her but he did speak finally.

"So what about his dad? Is he in the picture?"

Alicia nodded. "Jake is staying with him tonight. We aren't together but we're currently trying to get along for Jake's sake. Like I said, I'm very single."

"You're a single mum, though."

"Look, it's not the easiest thing to just bring up. I really wasn't expecting that kiss to happen. Otherwise, I would have told you earlier on because I know first-hand that not all men are comfortable with the idea of a little kid being around."

George came back over but stopped a few feet short of her. "That's not the part that's bothering me; I can handle a kid being around. I just don't understand why you didn't tell any of us. I read your letter to Angelina more than once and I definitely didn't see anything about you having a one-year-old baby to look after."

"I don't always make the best decisions, okay. I'm not perfect but you don't know what I had to deal with over there." Alicia paused and took a deep breath. She was getting defensive, which wasn't going to help ease the tension. "Look, the kiss was great. Thanks for that. We can forget it ever happened and just be friends."

"What are you talking about? You haven't given me enough time to get my head around all of this. I wasn't expecting to see you tonight but I've actually run through this scenario in my mind dozens of times. I imagined you showing up on my doorstep over and over again and it's played out many different ways in my head, but there was never a kid involved. I need a minute to re-group, all right."

"You imagined me showing up here?" Alicia asked softly.

George nodded. "I almost came to France to see you a few years ago. Now I'm really glad I didn't because if you'd answered the door holding a baby I might have had a coronary."

That would have been the best case scenario given her living arrangements a few years ago. If he'd shown up to see her back then that would have been the final nail in the coffin for their relationship.

"I wasn't expecting anything when I agreed to take a walk with you, but if there's really something here then I want you to know I'm all in."

"I think you know as well as I do that there's something between us, but we need to take it slow. We've both fucked this up too many times over the years. I doubt we're going to get another chance at it. Do you want to make another rash decision and mess things up even more?"

Alicia seriously doubted it would be possible to make matters any worse. Still, she understood what George was trying to say. "What now then?"

"We need to take our time," he said. His face was still unreadable but at least his body language was a little more encouraging now. He stepped forward and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I don't want to throw anything away already. I feel like I've spent this last year waiting for someone important to show up in my life."

"Me?" Alicia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe."

Perhaps her strange urge to visit Hogsmeade was the universe's way of bringing George back into her life. She didn't want to throw this opportunity away either. She needed him now more than ever. "I want to tell you everything. All about Jake and why I didn't tell anyone about him."

"Believe me, I want to hear all about it, but not right now. You already told me a lot of things I need to process. Just do me one favour?"

"Anything."

"Don't tell anyone that you saw me tonight. Especially Angelina and Katie. They'll get carried away and there'll be all this pressure on us that we don't need."

"Surely it wouldn't be that bad," Alicia reasoned.

George gave her a faint smile. "You don't know what I've been going through either. Everyone seems to think I'm going to die alone up here. Just this morning I had to go and tell Ginny to stop organising all these ridiculous blind dates for me."

"Your sister just wants you to be happy. That's sweet."

"Yeah but she picks all the nutters for me. Last one spent the entire date telling me about her seven cats. Another one threw herself onto my lap about fifteen minutes into our date."

Alicia's eyes narrowed at that unwelcome image. "Well I want to do this properly and I have to consider Jake as well."

"All the more reason to take things slowly," George said. He reached out and took one of her hands. "Just promise me you aren't going to disappear on me again."

She stared down at their entwined hands. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

The whole night was starting to feel a little surreal. As if at any moment she would wake up from her dream or Fred would jump out from the shadows and admit the whole thing was a prank.

"When can I see you again?"

"I can come back on Wednesday when Jake is spending the day with my mum," Alicia said casually, hoping she didn't sound too desperate.

George shook his head. "Not Hogsmeade – there's too many eyes around here. I'll come to London."

"There's a Muggle café down the road from my flat that we can go to if you really want to make sure no one sees us."

"That sounds good," George agreed. He was tracing small circles on the back of her hand with his thumb, sending shivers through her whole body. "Sneaking around could be fun for a bit."

"Fred will clue on straight away," Alicia pointed out.

"I might get away with it now that we live apart. Plus, he's preoccupied with trying to find a new place to live now and Angelina is considering retiring from professional Quidditch so that's been stressful."

Alicia nodded and tried to ignore the ache in her heart. "I read about that in the paper. Is she definitely going to retire already?"

"Looks like it at this stage," George replied. "But you know what she's like with her moods."

"I should have been here for her. She must hate me."

"Hate might be a strong word, but she certainly wasn't happy about what you did. No one was, to be honest." Her face must have betrayed her inner turmoil because he pulled her in for another hug and rested his chin on top of her head. "I'm not trying to upset you, Leesh. I just want you to be prepared and to know that I'm going to help you any way I can."

Alicia took a deep breath and some of the weight lifted from her chest. She had an ally finally, a shining beacon in the dim, foggy landscape that was her life these days. "I'm so glad you don't hate me either. I don't think I could handle that."

"I can't imagine it's possible for anyone to hate you," George replied softly. "Even if you end up breaking my heart through all this I think I'd still be a long way from hating you."

"I won't break your heart," Alicia said firmly, pulling back to look up at him.

"I'm gonna hold you to that, Spinnet." He kissed the top of her head. "We should call it a night."

"Can't we stay like this a bit longer?"

"I've got a lot to think about. You need to have a proper think about this as well. If you decide you want to give this a shot then send me an owl in the morning with your address so I can pick you up for our date on Wednesday."

A date with George. Like she even had to consider that for a second. But she figured it would be best to not come off too desperate. "All right. I'll see how I feel in the morning."

Standing outside the shop, once again, Alicia took George's hand and studied it in the moonlight. "You have lovely hands, you know."

"I do?"

"Perfect, really."

She was about to mention his obvious Quidditch callouses but a sudden surge of deja vu made the comment catch in her throat. "Do you live far from here?" she asked instead.

"My house is on the outskirts of the village. It'll only take me a few minutes to walk home. Are you sober enough to Disapparate all the way back to London?"

Alicia nodded. "I'm fine."

"I'll see you in a few days then." George leaned down and gave her a soft, sweet farewell kiss. Alicia grabbed the front of his shirt and tried to prolong and deepen the kiss. He just grinned against her lips and pulled away gently. "I better go before you make me do something I'll regret, like invite you back to my place for another drink."

Alicia relinquished her grip on him and stepped back. "I think I can safely say I'd take you up on that offer."

"Goodnight," he said, still grinning. He flicked his wand to towards the shop and the door swung shut and the lock engaged with a reassuring thunk. "Sleep well, Alicia."

"Goodnight," she replied.

Alicia watched as George stuffed his hands in his pockets then turned and walked away. She watched until he disappeared around the corner. She let out a loud breath and pressed her hand to her forehead. She felt exhilarated and giddy, but also a little ill.

How the hell was she going to tell George who Jake's dad was?

* * *

A/N: So that was long and full of dialogue and exposition. Sorry. I just wanted to get some history out of the way early on. Future chapters will be about half this length. I've got a lot planned for these two so please review and let me know if you want more. Thanks!


	2. An Unmitigated Disaster

A/N: Thanks to everyone who came back for more. I promise this chapter will be a lot more eventful. Time to reveal the father of Alicia's son…and yeah, his name is different…just read my other note at the end before reviewing please.

* * *

Alicia had unsuccessfully been trying to unpack the same box for the last hour. All she could think about was George and her beautiful future with him. Needless to say, she'd barely slept the night before. No matter what happened from here she was going to have a real chance with him. _If_ they could make it work. The rather large knot in her stomach told her that was a big if. The knot had been her constant companion since she left Hogsmeade last night. It was there now, heavy and dull, reminding her that the hard part was still to come.

George mightn't have been happy that she had kept Jake a secret, but he didn't seem to be bothered by his actual existence. Alicia hadn't always been able to say that about other men in the past. Accepting Jake was one thing but how was George going to react when he found out who his father was?

Speaking of which. Alicia glanced at the clock on the wall then swore under her breath. Jake and his dad would be here any minute. The flat looked like it had been ransacked by some Aurors. She didn't want to analyse why she cared so much, but she began to scurry around and pick things up. Where the hell had she left her sodding wand this time? She threw an armful of clothes and toys and general crap into her bedroom without bothering to see where it landed.

The actual cleanliness of her flat shouldn't make a difference anyway. All he said was he wanted to see where his son was living, which was fair enough. It wasn't an inspection.

Then why did Alicia feel like she was about to be brought before the Wizengamot?

Oh God. She hadn't even brushed her hair yet. Or put on makeup. And buggering hell, she was still in her pyjamas.

"Right, right," Alicia muttered, hopping up and down frantically on the spot. No time for a shower. She could get dressed and sort out her hair at least.

She was already shrugging out of her pyjamas as she stumbled towards her bedroom. Only half her clothes were unpacked but she found a pair of jeans and a shirt that seemed casual enough. If only she knew where she'd left her wand then she'd be able to do her hair with a flick of her wrist.

"Accio wand!"

Nothing happened. It was probably in the bathroom then, behind the closed door where she couldn't summon it because she was a useless witch. A sharp knock on the front door made her jump. She snatched up her brush and ran it through her hair haphazardly. Once again she cursed herself for not having shorter hair. She also cursed herself again for caring about his opinion of her appearance. It should mean nothing to her at this point.

Alicia squared her shoulders defiantly and threw her brush aside. She was a confident and intelligent woman. She wasn't beholden to any man. Certainly not a cocky, arrogant ex-boyfriend who never knew when to shut up.

Another insistent knock. Alicia scowled at the blatant display of impatience and closed her bedroom door firmly behind herself. She took a split second to collect herself then opened the front door.

"Mum!" Jake shouted, throwing himself at her waist.

"Hi, sweetheart." Alicia knelt down to wrap him in a big hug. "How are you? Did you have fun at the match yesterday?"

"Yeah! The Kestrels won. I think they're gonna win the League, too!"

Alicia held her son at arm's length and shook her head affectionately. "So, let me guess: you go for the Kestrels now, huh?"

"Yep. Dad already bought me a hat and a flag and some posters."

"Wow. I hope you said thank you."

"I did!"

Alicia stood up and Jake ducked beneath her arm and ran into the flat. She was then left standing out in the hallway with Christopher Warrington, former Quidditch enemy, card-carrying Slytherin and current thorn in her side.

"Why are you out of breath?" he asked, raising an indolent eyebrow at her.

"Would you believe morning yoga?"

"Not for a second."

Alicia looked him up and down. He was wearing a perfectly tailored charcoal suit and a lavender dress shirt. His black leather shoes were so shiny she wouldn't be surprised to see her reflection in them. She'd grown accustomed to seeing him in Muggle clothing over the years but a suit on a Sunday was a bit much. At the moment, though, he was also holding Jake's Thomas the Tank Engine backpack which rather ruined the overall effect.

"I have a work meeting soon," he said simply, following her gaze down to his attire.

"But it's Sunday."

"I'm aware of that." He thrust the backpack out to her. "Are we going to stand out here all day?"

Alicia snatched the bag from him and stepped aside. "Fine. You have two minutes."

He brushed past her and she stifled a sigh and followed him inside. She closed the door behind herself and leaned back against it. Christopher stood in the entryway with his hands casually stuffed in his pockets as he looked around.

"Do I get the grand tour?" he asked.

Alicia looked around and shrugged. The flat was only small, but it was still bigger and nicer than her place in Paris, so she couldn't really complain. The two bedrooms and bathroom were to their left and to their right was the kitchen. It was an open plan design, meaning the kitchen, small dining area and the living room all blended together. It had been recently renovated and featured a rather bland white and grey colour scheme but she supposed she couldn't expect much else in a rental.

"There is no grand tour," she said crisply. "You can literally see the entire place right from where you're standing."

"Ah, I can see that now. It's actually nicer than I thought it was going to be."

Alicia rolled her eyes. "I can't afford a mansion so my only alternative is to live in squalor?"

"No," Christopher answered calmly. He turned on the spot, taking in the whole flat with one sweep. "But, let's see here – two bedrooms, hmm, looks fairly new and in a secure building in this part of London. This place is clearly out of your budget," he surmised.

"You don't know my budget."

"I do actually. Have you found a new job then?"

"Not yet. I'm still keeping my options open," she replied airily.

"Don't be too picky. Another two months and you'll have burned through all your savings."

Alicia scowled. How did he manage to work that out so accurately? "Okay, _dad_. Anything else you want to lecture me on?"

Christopher shook his head and went over to peer inside one of the many cardboard boxes scattered around. "Don't be childish, Alicia. If you need money you only have to ask me nicely."

"We both know I'd starve before I took money from you."

"That's a distinct possibility if you don't get your act together soon."

Alicia's free hand reflexively clenched into a fist. The other clutched Jake's backpack tighter. How dare he? If it wasn't for her he wouldn't be living in his huge house with his housekeeper and his personal driver and his colossal ego. There was no way he'd have been able to pass as a Muggle all those years ago without her help. He wouldn't have been able to get his own act together if it wasn't for her.

Alicia opened her mouth to say precisely that but Jake chose that moment to come running out of his room. "Mum! I just took down all my Magpies posters. Can I put up my new Kestrels ones? Pleeease?"

"As long as you're careful and you don't make a mess," she answered, handing the backpack over to him.

Jake grinned brightly then disappeared back into his room. Alicia went and closed the door behind him then rounded on Christopher. She was still fuming inwardly but she knew it was pointless. This was what he wanted. He deliberately riled her. He got off on it somehow. They'd only seen each other once or twice in the last six months, but old habits die hard and he clearly still knew how to push her buttons. She'd been around the Quidditch pitch too many times though to fall for this again. Instead of wasting her breath she silently watched him poke around her flat.

She was suddenly struck by how physically different he was to George. They both had brown eyes and that was where the similarities ended. Christopher had dark brown hair cut short and neat and he had a sharp, angular face. On the other hand, George's face was friendly and open and kind. Christopher was taller as well, and lean where George was stocky and broad shouldered. George's smile could melt any woman's heart, but she knew from experience that Christopher's brooding stare was responsible for ensnaring many women. Herself, sadly, included.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Alicia cleared her throat awkwardly. "I wasn't staring," she said lamely.

Christopher smirked and ran his hand over his jaw. "Do you like the new designer stubble?"

"I have no opinion of your facial hair, Chris," she lied. It suited him perfectly and he damn well knew it. "If you're done snooping through my things, it's time to leave now."

"You know, my offer still stands," he said, obviously ignoring her not-so-subtle invitation to get out. "A quick shag with no strings attached whenever you want."

"Ssshh. Jake will hear you! And _no._"

"Relax, he's busy singing the Kenmare team song."

Alicia turned her ear towards the door and could hear that Jake was in fact singing a jaunty little tune to himself. He had no interest in what his parents were discussing a few feet away. "Fine, but what makes you think you can come into my home and proposition me like that?"

Christopher shrugged. "You're the one staring at me and biting your lip. I'm taking my cues from you."

Alicia closed her eyes briefly to gather her composure. There it was again. She was getting agitated and he was becoming more amused and smug by the second. "Are we done here?" she asked calmly.

"So where did you go last night? Clearly you weren't here unpacking," he couldn't resist adding.

"That's none of your business."

"Why are you being so defensive? I'm just trying to make small talk. It'd be polite of you to respond in kind. _I'll try again_. Where did you go last night?"

Alicia's brain did a quick risk analysis. She didn't have a story prepared and he'd probably be able to tell if she made up something off the top of her head since she was notoriously bad at improvising. Telling the simple truth would be best. He barely had any contact with the wizarding world these days so it was highly unlikely he knew anyone in Hogsmeade.

"I went to Hogsmeade if you must know."

"Really? That's a boring way to spend your first free night since you moved home. Don't all your Gryffindor friends want to know you anymore? I thought there'd have been a huge party thrown in your honour by now."

That hit a little too close to home. Alicia still didn't even know if her friends were going to want to see her after all this time. She immediately jumped on the offensive. "And what about your amazing friends, Christopher? You moved back, like, five months ago. How many of them have come to visit you so far? Has your own mother even bothered to come see you yet?"

Christopher didn't respond, he just kept wandering around. Alicia knew he hated his mother and pretty much everyone from school so the fact that no one visited him wouldn't make one iota of difference to him. For some reason he liked being a sullen loner.

"You make it way too easy sometimes, Spinnet," he said eventually. "You need to work on that."

"I know. I'm just out of practice. I haven't had the pleasure of your company for such a long time now that I'd forgotten how much of an arsehole you can be."

"Well that's a little harsh. This is me trying to make an effort to be civil with you. Now that you and Jake are nearby I want to get along with you for his sake. I want him to see his parents can be pleasant and mature around each other. Is that such a bad thing?"

Alicia sighed and felt her ire slipping away. "You need to work on your people skills if that was really you making an effort with me. I promise I'll be nice if you truly work on your attitude from here on."

"We used to get along, remember?" Christopher came over to stand in front of her now. Alicia stepped back automatically. She ran into the wall. Stupid tiny flat. "We used to get along really well. Once upon a time we couldn't get enough of each other. Remember?"

"No," Alicia snapped. "Don't do that. That's all ancient history now. If you and I are going to get along you can't bring up the past. We both need to move on. _You_ in particular."

Christopher shrugged and stepped back. "I can move on whenever I want. I thought I'd give you one last chance to change your mind. We can be a family again. Think of how much Jake would love that."

Alicia shook her head quickly. "He's better off not seeing his parents fighting every day."

"It wouldn't be like that this time."

"Maybe for the first few weeks, but we both know it won't last. No, I'm done, Chris. We're better off apart and don't pretend you don't agree with me."

Alicia didn't know why they were even having this conversation now. Their break up had happened over two years ago and it had been a mutual decision. Aside from the occasional unsolicited offer of sex, Christopher had never once suggested they get back together. Why was he wasting his breath now?

"All right, you've obviously made your choice," he said finally. "Just remember this moment later on. Remember that I gave you the chance."

"What are you on about?" Alicia asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Jake came hurtling back out of his room. "Mère! Can I watch some TV now? Please?"

"Hey, I've got to get going, Jake," Christopher said, kneeling down in front him.

"Aaw! Can't you stay and watch TV with me?"

"Maybe another day. I've got a meeting to get to, mate."

Jake looked crestfallen for a second then brightened up. "Are we still going to the Quidditch Museum next weekend?"

"Of course. I'll pick you up on Saturday morning and we'll spend the whole day there." Christopher ruffled Jake's mop of curly hair then straightened up. "Be good for your mother, okay."

"You can go watch TV while I take a shower. Then we'll go to the park for a bit," Alicia said.

"Okay. Au revoir, Papa!"

Jake ran off and Christopher made his way to the door straight away and said, "Thanks for letting me have him two weekends in a row. I'll pick him up at ten, yeah?"

"Yep. And he's missed you so I don't mind you having the extra weekend together." Alicia opened the front door and stepped out into the hallway with him. "But the museum now? You spoil him, you know."

"I just want to make sure he has the happy childhood I never had."

"He's happy just to spend time with you. He doesn't need to go on fun outings every time he's with you."

"How else am I supposed to get him to love me more than you?" he asked. Alicia rolled her eyes and he smirked. "I'll take him to the library the week after if it'll make you happy."

"That's not necessary. You are taking him to his first dentist appointment though. See how much he loves you then."

Alicia found herself smiling back and for a moment it seemed like they could have some sort of functional relationship after all. That was one thing she'd always liked about Christopher: he never failed to surprise her.

"Enjoy your day, Alicia. I'll see you on Saturday."

"Enjoy your meeting."

Alicia stepped back into her flat and shut the door. The knot in her stomach was still there, but it felt smaller somehow. If Chris really could stop being such a Slytherin wanker for a change, this whole situation might not be an unmitigated disaster after all.

* * *

"Oi! What time do you call this?" Fred shouted across the shop. "The meeting was supposed to start at four!"

George sighed and closed the door behind himself. The Diagon Alley shop was bustling with customers as usual. Fred was emptying a box of Canary Creams onto a shelf and Verity was at the counter putting through sales.

"You told me about this 'meeting' only two hours ago," George replied lightly. "I'm not at your beck and call. This is supposed to be my day off."

He wanted to add that he had been having a very pleasant day thinking about the night he'd just had with Alicia. What he didn't need was an unexpected Floo call from his brother.

"And what were you doing today that was so important?" Fred demanded. "Knitting yourself a scarf? Sitting in the Hog's Head reading the latest copy of Witch Weekly? Everyone knows you have no life, George. Get over yourself."

George wasn't even going to bother refuting that taunt. He stopped in the middle of the shop and folded his arms. "What's so important you had to drag me down here on a Sunday?"

"Not here. I'll meet you upstairs in a minute."

George took a deep breath then shook his head. What stupid scheme was Fred getting them involved in now? He gave a Verity a small wave then made his way to the back of the shop where a rickety old staircase led to the flat upstairs. It was still the same up there. Pokey and dusty. Just more of Angelina's Quidditch stuff strewn about the place now that George had moved out. He could see why she was frustrated and wanted a bigger place. Her Quidditch gear alone took up half the living room.

It had been hellishly small with the three of them living there. George had needed to move out for his own sanity more than anything else. He was always happy for his brother, but it became tough to see him and Angelina so happy and touchy-feely all the time.

Now George had a chance at that sort of relationship as well. Perhaps he was putting too much pressure on Alicia though. He'd thought about her a lot over the years and he was pretty sure she couldn't live up to the high expectations he'd created around her. No other woman had been able to meet them so far either.

Fred came stomping up the stairs and unceremoniously dropped the empty Canary Cream box on the floor. "Sod it. I really need to clean up this place before Ange gets home tomorrow."

"Good luck with that. I heard over the Wireless that the Arrows lost."

"At least she doesn't get as angry when she loses anymore. Remember the rages she used to go into when she came home after a loss?"

"I remember the broken plates fondly," George answered dryly. "Now, what am I doing here? I'm not helping you clean up if that's what you're after."

"Shut up and come look at this," Fred snapped. He kicked his way through the clutter and gestured towards the kitchen table.

George went over and picked up one of the leaflets. A witch wearing a bikini waved up at him from a beach somewhere. Another leaflet had a picture of the Coliseum in Rome and a witch and wizard were posing cheesily in front of it. "What the hell's this? Holiday brochures?"

"Obviously. I can't decide where to take Angelina and I need your help." Fred shoved a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa under his nose. "I thought Italy would be perfect. Angelina can spend the whole trip shopping and I can just eat pizza and gelato all day."

George blinked disbelievingly at his brother. "What?"

Fred held out a picture of a sandy white beach in his other hand. "But then there's Greece. No gelato but a perfect opportunity to get Angelina in a bikini for a while. You see my dilemma."

"Are you serious? You ordered me to come here so you could make me pick a holiday destination for you and Angelina?"

"Like you had anything better to do," Fred scoffed. He waved both pictures in George's face. "So what's your first instinct?"

"This is the first I'm even hearing about this holiday," George said, slapping Fred's hands out of the way. "When are you going?"

"In about a month, after the Quidditch season finishes. That's not the important bit though because I still need to know where to pick and I'm running out of time. Angelina's back tomorrow night so I need to go make the bookings in the morning."

"Wait a minute! I'm going to have to pull double duty at both stores while you're gone. I'm going to have to work seven days a week! You can't just assume I'm happy to do that."

"George!" Fred seized him by the shoulders and shook him. "We've been through this a thousand times. What do you do other than work?"

"You don't know what I might have going on in my life, you stupid prat. Maybe I can't spend every minute working anymore."

Fred gasped and tightened his grip. "Finally! You met someone! You've met a woman for sure! I can tell so don't even deny it. Who is she? One of Ginny's blind dates? The one who jumped in your lap, right! I told you it was stupid to get rid of her so quickly."

George struggled to keep his face completely passive. "I'm not seeing anyone right now, but that's not the point. How am I ever going to meet someone in the first place if I'm always in the shop, huh?"

"You realise I'm going to find out who she is," Fred said, obviously not buying the story at all.

Things were getting out of hand fast. Alicia had been right about Fred working it out straight away. George's poker face still needed some work apparently. Right now the best thing he could do was make a quick escape before he gave the entire thing away.

"Do I know her? Is she from Hogsmeade? How fit is she? Like, super fit or just really fit?"

George made his way back to the staircase, Fred right on his heels. "She doesn't exist. If you're done wasting my time, I'm going back home to enjoy the rest of my day off."

"I'm hurt, Georgie. You've finally got yourself a girlfriend and you don't want to tell your beloved brother. How am I supposed to live vicariously through you if you won't share the juicy details with me?"

"There's nothing to tell!"

"George?" called a familiar voice from the bottom of the staircase.

Great. Just what he needed. Ginny appeared on the bottom stair, pointing a rolled up newspaper at him. "Yes! Just the person I was looking for. I figured you'd be here if you weren't at home."

"I'm on my way home right now, Gin. Get out of the way."

She ignored him and ascended the stairs. "Why didn't you just tell me, George? I would have understood. I'm so happy for you!"

They stood there awkwardly on the staircase; George looking down at a beaming Ginny while Fred stood a few stairs behind him poking him insistently in the shoulder. "Look, I don't have time for whatever it is. I need to get home."

"To see your girlfriend?" Ginny asked sweetly.

"I knew it!" Fred crowed triumphantly.

Not Ginny as well. What the hell was going on?

"Back upstairs," she ordered. "Unless you plan on pushing me aside?"

She had him there. George wouldn't push his little sister around. Especially not in her current condition. Only a handful of people in the world knew that she was currently pregnant with Harry's baby.

"Fine!"

The trio went back up into the flat and Fred immediately began to question Ginny. "How do you know about George's new girlfriend? Did you set them up?"

Ginny ignored him and instead turned to address George. "Why didn't you just tell me that's why you didn't want me to set you up on any more dates?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a girlfriend." At least that much was true, George reasoned to himself. "I think weird pregnancy hormones are messing with your head."

"I can still read," she answered sharply. "You saw the Prophet this morning as well?" she asked Fred.

"No." Fred surveyed the mess in the flat. "Uh, I don't currently know where it is. Why?"

"Because our sneaky brother was caught kissing a woman outside the other shop last night. Here, see for yourself." Ginny thrust the paper into Fred's hand. "Rita Skeeter's gossip section on page twelve. About halfway down."

George was beginning to feel sick to his stomach. This had escalated from bad to catastrophic very quickly. He never read the Prophet anymore. Mostly because of the rubbish that was printed about his family.

"Spotted by an eagle-eyed Hogsmeade resident late last night," Fred read eagerly, "was one George Weasley kissing a pretty little brunette out the front of his shop. No confirmation on her identity yet, but speculation abounds."

George closed his eyes and winced. "Stupid Mrs Battersby."

"The old witch who runs Gladrags? Gross. Why were you kissing her?"

George fought the urge to slap his twin on the back of the head. "I wasn't kissing _her_! She was watching me from her flat above her shop. I thought I saw her curtains twitch but figured I was just being paranoid."

"I'm so happy for you, George," Ginny said, clutching his forearm and getting teary.

"You besmirched the sanctity of our shop?" Fred asked, looking comically affronted. "I thought we had a pact! No sex in either of the shops. I just hope you covered the Pygmy Puff cage with a blanket first. They're sensitive little buggers."

"No one had sex in our shop!" George shouted. His head was spinning, grasping, trying to come up with a way out of this.

"Who is she? You can tell us."

"Yeah, we won't even tell mum," Ginny added.

Oh no. His mother. She didn't read the Prophet anymore either, but someone was bound to ask her about it sooner rather than later. No one in the world was capable of minding their own damn business anymore.

George knew what he had to say. The only thing that would make these two back off: the truth. "Look, I don't want to talk about it yet because it's very new. We both decided to take things slowly and not tell anyone we were spending time together. She could be the one and I don't want any complications. Can you understand that?"

Ginny wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Whatever you need to do. Take your time and tell us when you're ready."

Fred wasn't so easy to put off. "So, do I know her then? Is it one of your ex-girlfriends? Are you back with Gwen? Did she change her mind about everything?"

Before George could answer, the sound of footsteps made him hold his breath. He turned to the doorway of the flat, hoping against hope that he wouldn't see his mother standing there. Thankfully, it was only Verity looking puzzled and a little flushed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt. There's a man downstairs asking for you."

"Me or George?"

"Um, I'm not really sure. He just asked for 'Weasley'. He wouldn't tell me anything else. I told him you were in a meeting but he just told me to 'go get him'."

Fred gave George a wary sideways glance. "So, this new girlfriend of yours isn't married is she?"

"Don't be ridiculous," George said. "It's probably just someone making a customer complaint about _you_. Don't worry, Verity, we'll come down and take care of it."

"Okay, thank you, and sorry again for interrupting."

She hurried off back downstairs and George turned to his sister. "Just wait up here a minute. We'll be right back."

A plan was formulating in George's brain as he followed Fred back down. If he could get Ginny on his side she could run interference for him and keep the rest of the family at bay. He and Alicia would just have to be even more cautious from now on. It could still work. It had to work. He was so sick of being alone.

"Where is this man then?" Fred asked once they were behind the counter.

"That's him there," Verity said, pointing nervously across the shop floor. She promptly scurried off and the stranger turned around.

Except he wasn't really a stranger.

"Wait, don't we know him?" George asked his brother as the familiar face approached the counter.

"Yeah, I think so. Looks a little different now though. Slytherin Quidditch team, right?"

"Warrington," George said, the name finally popping into his head. But why was he in their shop and why the hell was he dressed in a Muggle suit and a purple shirt?

"Which one of you works in Hogsmeade?" he asked once he reached them.

"That'd be me. What's the problem here?"

Warrington planted both of his hands on the counter, his body radiating hostility. "Everything's the problem, Weasley. Literally everything."

"Look, it's not that we don't love catching up with old school chums, but we're actually running a business here," Fred said, his tone quite upbeat considering the glare Warrington was giving George.

"What do you want, Warrington?" George demanded. His back straightened and his hand slipped into his pocket and seized around his wand. Just in case. You never knew which slimy Slytherin might still hold a grudge.

"No need for wands," Warrington said, but he didn't relax his stance so neither did George. "I just want to have a conversation with you. I have reason to believe you're dating the mother of my child."

Fred gasped and eloquently shouted, "What the fucking shite!"

Oh, God no, George thought.

"Are you or are you not dating Alicia Spinnet?"

"What. The. Fucking. Shite," Fred repeated, softly and slowly this time.

A/N: Right. Before anyone says it, I know it's apparently Cassius Warrington thanks to some DVD Easter egg or whatever (so technically not canon, anyway). But when I was here writing Alicia/Warrington many years ago he was still only C. Warrington as far as I can remember. Everyone gave him different names. I chose Christopher. At first I wrote this chapter as Cassius. But, honestly, I winced every time I had to type it. He'll always be Christopher to me so I switched back and everything is once again right with the world. I briefly contemplated added an explanation that Cassius was his first name but he went by his middle name Christopher, but, blargh, couldn't be arsed in the end.


	3. Crappy Consolation Prize

Alicia couldn't remember the right spell to curl her hair. She hadn't used it in forever because it was tricky to get right with long hair. The one she had just tried made her look like she'd been electrocuted and it had taken three further spells to get her hair back to normal.

Once again her heart ached for her friends. Katie knew all the best hair spells and Angelina knew how to do the prettiest make-up ones. They should be there helping her get ready for her first date with George. Just like the three of them had gotten ready for the Yule Ball together. They'd spent over an hour that night giggling and experimenting with new spells.

Alicia shook her head to clear her thoughts. She couldn't possibly be sad now. She was about to go on an actual date with George. This could be the beginning of the rest of her life. That thought made her palms start sweating.

She had to calm down. It was still just two people getting coffee in a local café. She didn't need to go bonkers with her hair and make-up.

In the end she settled for keeping her hair down and natural and wearing the least make-up she thought she could get away with. She picked a pretty yellow sun-dress since it was a warm day outside. She was just trying to find the right pair of shoes when someone knocked on the door. Surprised, she ran to the door and pressed her eye to the peephole.

George was fifteen minutes early. What was that supposed to mean?

Alicia took a deep breath then opened the door. He stood there wearing a pair of grey trousers and a plain navy coloured t-shirt. A little dressed down for a date. Or maybe Alicia was too dressed up. Bugger it. She should've known the yellow sun-dress was too much.

"Hi," he said.

Alicia swallowed her anxiety and smiled. "Hi. Sorry, I'm almost ready. You're early though."

"I know. I just couldn't wait any longer. I've been pacing around downstairs for the last twenty minutes."

What was _that_ supposed to mean? Was he as nervous as she was? Or was he excited and eager? Something else entirely?

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll just grab some shoes and my handbag and we can go."

"Wait. Can I come inside? We need to talk."

Easily the worst four word phrase in the English language.

"What's going on? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Alicia's heart sank. She stepped back and George entered her flat. She closed the door behind him and fought a sudden urge to vomit. The signals he was sending were all wrong now that she thought about it. He hadn't smiled at her once and he was barely making eye contact

"Here, we can sit down on the sofa," she offered.

"I think I'll just stand for a bit if that's all right."

Alicia nodded and took a seat as he paced back and forth in front of the television. He looked restless, like he wanted to make a quick escape or something. Deep down, she knew. Nothing else could have made him look so troubled.

"George, what happened?"

He stopped pacing and turned to her. "Warrington came to see me on Sunday. He found out about us and he came into the Diagon Alley shop. He told me, Alicia, right there in my own shop in front of Fred."

Alicia jumped to her feet, wanting to grab hold of him, but the coffee table was between them. "There's a lot you have to understand, all right. There's so much you need to know."

"I only came to find out two things from you," George said, resuming his pacing. "Why you thought having a kid with a Slytherin was a good idea in the first place and why you kept it from me?"

"Because I figured you would react like this. You're angry at me."

"You just let me assume his father was some random Frenchman."

Alicia sat back down and clutched a cushion to her chest pitifully. "I couldn't tell you on Saturday. It was too much to handle in one go. I was going to tell you today, I promise."

"In a public café so I couldn't get too upset while we were surrounded by people?"

The thought had crossed her mind briefly, but ultimately she didn't want to have this conversation in public either. "That wasn't my intention at all. So which one are you? Upset or angry?"

George turned to her and she found his normally warm eyes were as cold as steel. This was bad all right. "I've felt every possibly emotion over the last couple of days. Now I'm mostly tired and fucking confused. Whichever way I looked at it, the whole thing made no sense. Why would you even have sex with someone from Slytherin in the first place?"

"You can't ask me a question like that."

"I just did."

"I don't know the answer!" Alicia admittedly sharply, her cheeks warming. "There's no point questioning my past decisions now anyway."

George shook his head. "No. You need to help me understand what's going on here. I don't know what I've just walked into the middle of. Please tell me you were drunk or something at least."

Alicia clutched her cushion for dear life. "I wasn't drunk," she answered softly.

"So you had a sober one night stand with Warrington then?"

When her voice came out this time it was barely above a whisper. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"We were in a relationship. We lived together for a few years."

George just stared at her. She had no way of knowing what was going through his mind. Either way, it was time to tell the entire story and see how he reacted once he knew everything.

"Listen, you need to stop judging me based on what you think happened."

"Then tell me, please. Tell me everything and put me out of my misery over here." George crossed his arms and eyed her expectantly. "I just don't want any of the gross details. I could do without the mental image of you shagging a Slytherin."

Alicia took a deep breath. "Christopher had already been living and working in France on and off for a few years when I ran in to him at a work function. His family has a villa in the Burgundy region and he used to let the French Ministry hold their annual ball there. I'd been in France myself for about eight months and I was getting homesick when I got invited to the Rose Ball with my boss.

"Chris and I didn't seek each other out or anything like that. We just ended up sitting next to each other that night because we were both Hogwarts graduates. And for me it was nice to hear an English accent and see a relatively familiar face."

Alicia remembered that night well even though she knew better than to give George any details. She hadn't known it at the time, but the night of the Rose Ball had been a crucial turning point in her life. George probably didn't need to know how much she had fancied Chris the moment she saw him, or how they had danced and he had whispered sordid secrets in her ear about the other guests.

She wasn't proud of it, but she'd ended up very willingly spending the night with him. Yeah, George definitely didn't need to hear that part.

"The next time we ran into each other he asked me out to dinner and I said yes," she continued, skipping over a few minor details like her spiteful act of vandalism and Chris's mild stalking. "I don't know why, okay. Things were just different over there away from Hogwarts and the aftermath of the war. We might as well have been on another planet."

"Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin," George said defiantly. "You should have remembered that at least."

"Let me finish my story," Alicia said. "We kept seeing each other for a few months but I wouldn't say it was really serious. Then one day I bollocksed up my birth control potion and I took it too late. That part was entirely my fault. Christopher had nothing to do with it."

"Why would you think raising a child with him would be a good idea though?"

"I didn't care whether he stuck around or not. I just knew I wanted to keep my baby and I told Christopher he was totally off the hook if he wanted to walk away."

George's eyebrows shot up. "You actually gave him the chance to walk away scot-free and he still stayed?"

"Yeah, he did the right thing by us. Hard for you to believe?" Alicia asked, not expecting an answer in return. "It only gets more unbelievable from here. His mother showed up at the villa out of the blue one day and found out I was pregnant. It wasn't pretty; she threatened to cut him off if he chose to be with me. A half-blood ally of Dumbledore and Harry wasn't someone she wanted for her precious son. Again, Chris chose me and that same night he was being escorted from the villa by Magical Law Enforcement. He immediately lost all access to the family vault in Gringotts and also the one in Paris."

Alicia could see a flicker of something in George's eye now. Astonishment? Suspicion maybe? Admittedly, it was a pretty fantastic story. No Slytherin in their right mind would give up their family fortune for a half-blood with a bun in the oven. Christopher Warrington wasn't your average Slytherin though.

"What Mrs Warrington didn't know was that her son had been secreting money away in a Muggle bank account for the last year. Christopher had long suspected his mother was going to run the family business into the ground one day so he started putting money aside as a back-up plan."

"Then it wasn't much of a sacrifice for him since he was still rich anyway," George said, a hint of triumph in his voice.

"It wasn't that much money. Well, it was more than I've ever had at one time," she admitted. "Still, the real problem was that he had no way of making _more_ money. All the people he'd been doing business with up till then began cutting ties with him. His vindictive bitch of a mother had got him blacklisted, you see. She effectively stopped him from being able to make a proper living within the wizarding community. Chris ended up coming to live with me in my tiny Paris flat because he had no other option."

George nodded slowly. "So that explains the Muggle gear he was wearing."

"That's right. It was _my_ idea that he start doing business with Muggles. He hated the idea at first, of course. Inevitably, he realised he had no other choice, so I gave him a crash course on the Muggle world."

Alicia fought to keep the smile off her face as she remembered those days. They had been some of the best of her life. Every day after work she would come home and teach Chris about Muggles. Most nights ended with them laughing on the floor. They watched popular movies and TV shows and went to sporting events. They even went to the Louvre together to see the Mona Lisa. She saw a side of him that no one else would ever have the chance to see and she had fallen a little bit in love with him then.

George was staring at her expectantly so she continued. "He taught himself about the Muggle economy since I'm not good with that stuff. It turned out he had a knack for it all. He made a few smart stock market investments and the rest is history. By the time Jake was six months old, he had turned about fifteen thousand euros into almost seventy thousand. I don't know for sure, but he's probably worth close to a million pounds by now."

"You sound almost proud of him," George said. It came out as an accusation, rather than a simple statement.

Alicia gave a little shrug. "I was. Maybe I still am a bit. He's really smart, George. You wouldn't have known because you left school early but he finished third in the year. He was the only non-Ravenclaw student in the top five. He got six Os on his NEWTs," she added, then realised too late that she shouldn't have said that.

Predictably, George's eyes narrowed and his body language became even more guarded. "If that's important to you then why are you bothering with me? I have zero NEWTs in case you've forgotten."

Alicia threw her cushion aside and jumped to her feet. "What do you want me to say, George? I'm proud of what you've achieved as well. This isn't some sort of competition."

"I want you to tell me why you dated the son of a Death Eater!"

George's sudden anger startled her, maybe it even frightened her a little. She didn't sit back down though. She stood face to face with him, the coffee table the only thing stopping them standing nose to nose. "I know about his father. I knew back at school like everyone else. But I bet I know a lot that you don't. For instance, Christopher hated his father."

"That doesn't mean he never went to any Death Eater gatherings."

"He never went near them. He told me so himself."

"And you believed him? Just like that?"

"Yes! I'm not an idiot. I'd have known if I was living with a Death Eater. Chris hated Voldemort as well. He was too smart to get caught up in all of that. Mr Warrington gave away a lot of the family's money to Voldemort's cause and basically ignored Chris for his entire childhood. Why would that make him want to be a Death Eater?"

"Okay, so you can stand there and tell me with one hundred percent certainty that Warrington wasn't at the Battle of Hogwarts wearing a Death Eater mask with all the others?"

Alicia nodded firmly. "Yes, I can. Christopher wasn't even in the country when it happened. His father wasn't there either. He died of a massive heart attack while we were still at school. No one from his immediate family was there that night. I can promise you that."

"Regardless, he's still a Slytherin. The whole house is evil to the core."

Alicia threw her hands up, defeated. "What am I supposed to do about that? We're not in school anymore, George. All of this house rivalry stuff is fucking bollocks. We're adults living in the real world now. We're not segregated and made to compete with each other anymore. Everybody needs to get over this Gryffindor versus Slytherin stuff. Why should it matter to us now?"

Alicia paused, her chest heaving. She had run through that speech a hundred times in her head. She'd given herself a similar one all those years ago at the Rose Ball. She wasn't naïve – she had expected backlash from people back home once they found out about her relationship with Chris. Her argument probably wasn't going to work on everyone, but she had to try. Unfortunately, judging by the look on George's face, she had used her speech on the wrong person. His eyes had been cold and emotionless before, now they were ablaze.

"What does it matter?" he repeated loudly. "For starters, it matters a lot to me and my family. I've lost count of how many Slytherins have tried to kill us over the years. It might be true that not all Slytherins are Death Eaters but pretty much every Death Eater who went to Hogwarts _was in Slytherin_. Have you ever heard of a Hufflepuff Death Eater?"

Things were going much worse than Alicia had anticipated. George was angrier than she had ever seen him and it was all aimed at her right now. She was already on the verge of tears and George wasn't finished yet.

"Do you want to see something?" He lifted his shirt and Alicia slapped her hand over her mouth. "That's right. This is the scar I got during the Battle. For all I know it was a Slytherin who gave it to me. Do you understand why this is a big deal to me?"

Tears began to roll down Alicia's cheeks. The scar wasn't little at all. It curved in an upwards arc from near his belly button to the bottom of his ribcage. She could tell that something wasn't right with it. It looked too fresh and pink and puckered to be an old injury.

"It'll never heal properly," George said, answering her unasked question. He dropped his shirt and his voice softened. "The Healers who treated me at St Mungo's think the blade was cursed somehow. Everyone made sure the details of the injury never got leaked to the Prophet so no one knows about the extent of the scar. I didn't show it to you to make you cry, Alicia. I just need you to see my side of this."

"I'm so sorry," she said, wiping her eyes awkwardly. "All that stuff I said about Warrington was so you would understand what it was like back then. Right now I hate him. I hate him so much it feels like there's a pulsating ball of lava lodged under my sternum. I want to kill him for showing up at your shop like that. He's a rude, arrogant arsehole who doesn't deserve anyone's love. But Jake _does_ love him. I can't change that."

"Then he's always going to be a part of your life somehow, isn't he?" George realised.

"Please tell me you're okay with that." She went around the coffee table to stand right in front of him. "Please tell me something I did years ago won't ruin my chances with you today. I'll make my declaration right here and now: I want to be with you more than anything."

"Even though I don't have any NEWTs or anywhere near a million Galleons?" George asked. Alicia nodded fervently and he wiped an errant tear from her cheek. "I'm going to need a bit of time to process all of this. If I can't get past this Warrington stuff then I don't want either of us to waste our time. You understand that, right?"

Alicia wanted to say no. Instead, she forced herself to nod stiffly. "How long will you need though?"

"I don't know for sure. Probably only a day or two. I'll come and see you when I know what I want to do."

George kissed her on the forehead. To Alicia the kiss felt like a crappy consolation prize and farewell gesture all rolled into one. She wasn't very optimistic that she was going to get her happily ever after with George after all. Christopher had seen to that.

"You should probably still pretend that we haven't seen each other," George advised. "Fred promised he wouldn't tell anyone else as long as I kept him in the loop from now on."

"Fine," Alicia agreed half-heartedly. What exactly was the point of hiding a non-existent relationship from everyone?

"I'll come see you soon. Just promise me that I know everything now." George smiled faintly for the first time that day. "My poor heart and I can't handle any more surprises."

Those sodding letters. Alicia hesitated. Did that even count? The situation was sorted now so probably not.

"That's all of it," she said.

They walked together to the door and Alicia let him out. He turned back like he wanted to say something else but thought better of it.

"Bye, George."

He gave her a small smile in reply then disappeared down the hall. Alicia closed the door and went straight into her bathroom to look in the mirror. She looked awful; her makeup was smeared everywhere. All she felt like doing was crying so she stripped off and stood under the warm spray of her shower till she ran out of tears.

Then, she pulled herself together. She had decided what she needed to do. She would leave Jake with her parents for a while longer.

Alicia had decided she was going to see Christopher.

* * *

A/N: As much as I love them, I couldn't make it too easy for Alicia and George to get together. Where would be the the fun in that? Next chapter: Alicia and Christopher have their confrontation and things get...feisty.


	4. Especially The Red Hair

A/N: I'm so sorry. I somehow forgot to post this chapter and went straight on to chapter 5, thinking it was chapter 4. That sucks because this chapter is my fave so far and it introduces an important plot element. The story makes sense again. This chapter is the real chapter 4 and it continues right after the end of chapter 3. Whew. I promise I'll pay better attention from now on!

* * *

Alicia was so angry when she Apparated that it was a small miracle she didn't Splinch herself. As it was, she stumbled when she rematerialised in Christopher's back garden. Thankfully, she caught herself on a tree before she hit the grass. Not a very elegant entrance, but no one would be able to see her from the house. She was tucked away in the back corner of the garden, where Christopher had left a deliberate hole in his Anti-Apparition charms.

This was only the second time she had been to his new house in Hampstead and she hadn't actually seen the inside of it yet. Of course, the house was big and beautiful; she hadn't expected him to pick anything less. Right now, the sight of it looming over her just fuelled her anger. Why did he even need to live in a five bedroom house? Jake had his own room, but every other room was probably immaculately furnished but never used.

"Pretentious twat," she muttered to herself as she stomped up to the back door.

She knocked loudly then waited. And waited some more. After a minute the door was finally thrown open.

"Miss! Oh, what a wonderful surprise!"

Alicia's anger took a backseat and she smiled at the plump older lady beaming at her. "Hello, Marta. How are you?"

"Can't complain, dear. Are you feeling all right? You look a little flushed. Do you need some water? Something to eat?"

Alicia shook her head and patted the housekeeper's hand reassuringly. "No, I'm fine. It's just a little warm today. I came to see Chris."

Marta ushered her into the house and led her through a large, shiny kitchen. "Was he expecting you today? He didn't mention you were coming, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time he neglected to warn me we were having visitors."

"This is a spur of the moment visit," Alicia answered crisply.

Marta stopped walking abruptly and Alicia almost ran into her. "Oh no. Is everything all right? What has he done now?"

"Just the usual, Marta, just the usual."

Alicia hid a smile as the other woman tutted her disapproval. Poor Marta had witnessed a few of their fights in her time. Back in France, she and her husband Frank had been staff at the Warrington family villa. Somehow Christopher had convinced them to leave and come to work for him once he had bought his own place in Paris. He had even managed to get them to move back to London with him, which Alicia was pleased about. Marta had a real knack for dealing with Christopher's wildly fluctuating moods.

"Where is he at the moment?"

"Up in his office working, of course. The only time he isn't working is when Jake is here. Where is the little darling today?"

"He's with my parents at the moment." Alicia grabbed Marta's shoulder to stop her walking. "It's okay, I'll go up on my own. I know you're probably right in the middle of something."

She hesitated, then nodded and brushed her hands down the front of her apron. "Okay, dear. Just remember he can't help the way he is, our Christopher. He doesn't mean to be so…forthright."

That was putting it nicely. Alicia sighed. "The problem is he _did_ mean it this time and he absolutely _can_ help the way he is. But don't worry yourself, I'm only going to give him a bit of friendly advice."

Marta looked even more worried after that comment. She gripped Alicia's hand briefly then bustled off back towards the kitchen. Alicia continued making her way through to the front of the house. The place was classically styled with a neutral colour palette and minimal furniture. It was clearly meant to pass as a regular Muggle house in case someone from his work life unexpectedly turned up.

She skipped up the beautiful mahogany staircase in the foyer then found herself at the end of a long corridor. There were seven or eight doors stretching the length of it and she belatedly realised she had no way of knowing which room was the office.

"Christopher!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. When nothing happened she did it again, this time slowly enunciating each syllable of his name.

A door in the middle of the hallway flew open and Christopher's angry face appeared. "What are you bellowing about, woman?"

The very sight of him made her blood boil. She pointed her finger at him. "How _dare_ you!"

Christopher rolled his eyes. "Calm down," he said, then he disappeared back into the room.

Alicia stormed down the hall and right into the office after him. "I will not calm down!"

"I don't remember inviting you into my office," he said blandly as he sat down behind a large antique desk by the window.

"I can go where I please."

"So can I. If I want to take a stroll through Diagon Alley then no one can stop me."

So he wasn't even going to deny it or make up a lame excuse. Typical. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Alicia demanded. She stood on the other side of the desk and planted her hands firmly on her hips. "What gives you the right to show up at George's shop like that? And you lied to me! You didn't have a business meeting on Sunday!"

Christopher shuffled a few papers around on his desk, clearly intending to keep right on working. "Don't be daft. Of course I had a business meeting. You think I'd put on a Hugo Boss suit just to go see your new boyfriend?"

Alicia threw her hands up, completely thwarted. "I don't know what you're capable of anymore."

"And I'll have you know I was almost late to my important meeting because I wasted half an hour searching Hogsmeade for the idiot."

"He's not an idiot. Who do you even think you are? You have no right to interfere in my life."

"You brought all this on yourself. Really, you had to go and pick a Weasley. Are you trying to give me a brain aneurism? Do you understand how offensive this is to me? A _Weasley_."

"I don't care! I never considered your feelings or opinion because it has nothing to do with you!"

"And not just any Weasley. You have to date the one who broke my nose in our fifth year."

Alicia smirked at that. She hadn't thought about that incident in a while. The Gryffindor team had once tried to share the Quidditch pitch with the Slytherins for training in fifth year. It had ended with a wayward Bludger hitting Christopher in the face. "Mmm, thanks for that fond memory. It was actually Fred who hit the Bludger at you though, not George."

"Same thing."

"They're two different people! Stop being deliberately ignorant."

Christopher turned his attention to his work and began to scribble on one of the pieces of paper. "Funny thing is, I'd actually be less appalled if you were fucking Potter. At least he has money," he added casually.

Alicia reached across the desk and snatched up a handful of papers. She launched them across the room, sending pieces fluttering in every direction. Christopher folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I see wanton destruction of my property is still your outlet of choice. Did that make you feel better?"

"No." Alicia seized an ornate silver inkwell this time and threw it across the room. It hit the far wall and left a large dent in the plasterboard. Black ink sprayed everywhere. "That was a little more satisfying. Next, I'd like to put you in a full body-bind and use you as a punching bag."

"You've already forgotten, haven't you? On Sunday I gave you the chance to choose me. None of this had to happen."

"Oh my God. You're completely insane! As if I would ever choose you over George. He's perfect. He's everything I want in a man."

"Even the red hair?" Christopher asked dubiously.

"Especially the red hair!" Alicia snapped. "How did you even know I had seen George that night? Are you paying someone to spy on me?"

"You really don't know yet?" Christopher opened the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a page from the Daily Prophet. He tossed it towards her. "Rita Skeeter very kindly took care of the spying for me. Middle of the page."

As she read along, her heart began to pound. Now she wanted to use Rita Skeeter as a punching bag as well. What were the chances that someone had happened to see them at the moment they shared a quick kiss goodbye?

"Pretty. Little. Brunette," Christopher said slowly, punctuating each word with an accusatory point of his finger. "You confirmed it yourself when you told me you had gone to Hogsmeade that night. How long were you planning to keep it from me?"

Alicia slammed the paper down on the desk between them. "For as long as I felt like it because it's none of your business!"

Christopher leapt to his feet, his face contorted in anger and Alicia momentarily thought he was going to lunge across the desk and grab her. "Excuse me? Of course it's my damn business! I have a right to know who is with my son when I'm not around. Whether you like it or not, whomever you decide to shag in your spare time _is_ my business and you had better get used to it."

"Jake hasn't even met George yet, you stupid arse! What kind of mother do you think I am?"

"Evidently the same kind of father you think I am. You're the one who told me first I wasn't to let Jake meet any of my girlfriends."

"You don't have girlfriends, Christopher – you have one night stands with Muggle women. I said I didn't want Jake to ever witness one of them stumbling half-naked out of your bedroom."

Christopher tutted and shook his head. "As if I would ever bring one of them back to my house. I'm not a complete moron."

"You know what, this is all getting way off point," Alicia said. "I came here to tell you that you had better keep away from George from now on. If I hear you've stepped foot in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley there's going to be trouble."

"Is that your cute little Gryffindor way of threatening me?"

Alicia narrowed her eyes. "You better believe it. You're a part of Jake's life because I decided to let you be a part of it. You're lucky I don't terminate your visitation rights after the stunt you pulled."

Christopher threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, you want to do this the hard way? You want to play solicitors at ten paces? I can afford the best legal team in the country. How about you, Spinnet?"

He had her there. Except she knew deep down neither of them would ever deny the other access to Jake. That was petty and would only end up hurting Jake more in the end. "Fine. You and your money win again. I don't want you coming to my flat anymore. You can send Frank to pick up and drop off Jake from now on."

"Fine by me."

Neither of them said anything more. Alicia felt like she had gotten most of her anger out of her system for now. Christopher was just staring at her, not speaking. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, she turned away and finally got a good look at the room she was in. This room evidently wasn't meant for Muggle eyes. It was full of moving pictures of Jake and assorted Quidditch memorabilia. The yellow and black of his favourite team jarred against the otherwise classy décor.

"Is this really what you want for your life?"

Alicia turned back to Christopher. "What do you mean?"

"Do you want to live in a ramshackle house in the countryside with more children than you can afford to feed?"

"That's not what my life will be like. You don't know anything about George, all right. He's brilliant. Way better at Charms and Transfiguration than you," Alicia added.

"Hmm. Doubtful."

"No. That's a simple fact. And he and Fred own _two_ successful shops now."

Christopher opened his mouth to reply, but then shut it and frowned. His face slowly broke into a wide smile. "I see it now! This is priceless; Weasley was your Hogwarts crush."

"No," Alicia said quickly.

"Yes! He's the one you told me about, the one who never paid you any attention," Christopher said triumphantly. "That's so bloody typical. For all these years I thought it was Potter or Wood. But you couldn't even set your sights higher than a Weasley."

"All you're doing right now is confirming that I made the right decision," Alicia said haughtily, her voice a lot calmer than she actually felt.

"Like I ever stood a chance anyway. Not if you've been in love with him since you were thirteen. I bet you spent our whole relationship comparing me to him. I also bet I fell short every single time."

"Our relationship had nothing to do with George, just like my relationship with George has nothing to do with you," Alicia said slowly and clearly. "You really pissed him off, by the way, so thanks for that. What exactly did you say to him?"

Christopher shrugged and attempted to appear innocent and perplexed. "All I did was lay down the ground rules. He's obviously too sensitive."

"Ground rules? There are no ground rules and if there were it certainly wouldn't be your job to lay them down! You can't just-"

"Shut up and listen," Christopher cut her off. "Jake is to have no contact with any other members of the Weasley family. That includes Potter and Granger."

"That's not up to you to decide!"

"I'm not done. Nothing you two plan will disrupt my scheduled visits with Jake and he's not to be left alone with Weasley _and_ he's never allowed to enter that stupid joke shop either. If our son ends up being another Hogwarts drop-out with no money and no future, I'm holding you and that idiot ginger responsible."

Alicia's mouth opened and closed like she was some sort of fish struggling to breathe on land. She had officially run out of names to call Christopher. Nothing was enough to convey just how much she wanted to strangle the life out of him right now. How had she ever thought she might be able to have some sort of vague friendship with him one day?

"Are you actually going to say anything?" he demanded.

"I hate you," she hissed.

Christopher came around from behind his desk and slapped his hand to his chest dramatically. "And I'm terribly heartbroken. Are we done here now? Can I get back to work?"

"I don't ever want to see your stupid face again. Your facial hair looks ridiculous by the way."

"We both know that's not true. You can do better than that, Alicia."

She _could_ do better than that. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted his most prized possession sitting on a bookcase on the other side of the room. She marched over and snatched up the Quaffle. The entire surface was covered in signatures. Someone had managed to get the ball signed by every Chaser who had played for England in the last forty years. Alicia tossed it lightly in the air.

Christopher just put his hands in his pockets as if he didn't care but she could see his jaw clench. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you. If you damage that you'll owe me a small fortune."

Alicia smiled and tossed the Quaffle even higher. He obviously didn't have his wand nearby or he'd have hexed her into oblivion by now. She caught it deftly with one hand and admired it for a moment. "I miss having a Quaffle in my hands."

"Put it down now. You've already sullied it just by touching it."

"Why? Because I could never afford something like this? Because I'm a woman? A Gryffindor?"

"All of the above. Not to mention you're the weakest of the three Gryffindor Chasers. I'd trust Johnson or Bell to know how to handle it properly."

Bastard. Right. Concentrate, Spinnet. Twelve feet away, give or take. No wind to speak of. Mind the sofa.

Alicia whipped around and in one fluid motion she threw the Quaffle at him. He reacted too slowly and he tried to cover himself but he failed to get his hands out of his pockets in time. The large, weighted ball hit him squarely in the crotch. He groaned and doubled over, coughing and spluttering indignantly.

"Typical. Too busy trying to come up with witty insults that you clearly forgot I always had the best aim of _any_ Chaser at Hogwarts. I'm glad to see I've still got it. And such a small target, too. I'm really quite proud of myself."

Christopher was on his knees now, his hands clutched between his legs. "Have you lost your damn mind? That fucking hurt!"

"You should have realised I'd never deliberately damage a Quaffle. Unfortunately for you I have no such attachment to your balls." Alicia retrieved the Quaffle and returned it carefully to its original spot on the shelf, all the while grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

He winced and let out a loud breath. "What's wrong with you? Why would you do that? That was literally a low blow, Spinnet."

"It's the least you deserve right now. But it was only a warning. If you don't stay out of my life it'll be a severing charm I aim at your genitals next time."

"You had better be out of my house before I recover," Christopher wheezed.

Alicia figured that would be very prudent. "Goodbye, Christopher. I wish I could say it's been a pleasure knowing you. At the very least our time together taught me what I _don't_ want in a man. I sincerely thank you for that."

He glared at her and made a move to get back to his feet. She took that as her cue to leave and Disapparated back to her parents' house.

* * *

Alicia stayed on a high for the next two days. By Saturday, however, her feelings of euphoria had all but evaporated. She hadn't heard from George yet. Not even a lousy letter. She knew it wasn't her place to chase after him because he clearly needed time alone to think things through. The problem was it was beginning to feel like an eternity since she had seen him.

But there was no time for a pity party. Frank had just come to pick up Jake so she had the weekend to herself. Briefly she had considered going to see Angelina or Katie, but she didn't feel up to it without knowing what was happening with George first. Her time would be better spent sorting out the flat while Jake wasn't around to mess it back up again straight away.

So, Alicia resigned herself to spending her Saturday cleaning while everyone else in London was out enjoying the beautiful weather. It would actually be a perfect day to go flying. She stopped by the window and stared at the sliver of blue sky visible through the buildings across the road. She couldn't even remember the last time she had been on a broom. Probably back in France at the villa. There had been a lot of room to fly there and Christopher owned no less than six racing brooms.

Alicia shook her head and turned away from the window. Flying would have to wait. She had cleaning to do. Besides, she didn't even own a broom anymore. She could hardly borrow one from Christopher now. There might still be an old one at her parents' house though. Maybe in the attic or the garden shed. Hopefully they'd kept the Cleansweep she'd received for her sixteenth birthday.

The mess would still be there in the morning after all.

Before she could make any real plans to skive off her housework, a distant speck in the patch of clear sky caught her attention. It grew in size and she realised it was heading for her open window. The tawny owl glided in as she stepped back. It dropped a roll of parchment on the sofa then executed a neat arc around the flat and swooped back out the window.

Alicia hopped on the spot with glee and went to retrieve the parchment. George had finally made up his mind. She unrolled it and her heart immediately sank. It wasn't George's handwriting. This couldn't be happening. She stared down at the letter, reading and re-reading it, translating it back and forth in her mind.

_You can't hide forever. I will find you and when I do I will get back what I'm owed. I will not be ignored._

It was the same handwriting as always: neat cursive written in blood red ink. And always in formal French, never in English.

Alicia's heart was pounding. She had left France in the hopes of getting out of this psycho's way. The person kept referring to money that she had supposedly stolen from them. Alicia had no idea how or when she was supposed to have committed this theft and at first she'd assumed it was a mistake and simply ignored the letters. When they didn't stop she had asked a friend in Paris to place a strong Masking Charm on her flat.

Now she apparently needed to get one done in London as well. Except this time she didn't have a friend she could ask for help so she'd need to hire an expert, which would cost a pretty penny. Alicia sighed and massaged her aching temples. It was turning into a shitty day indeed.

A sharp knock at her door made her almost jump out of her skin. One hand slapped over her mouth in fright and her other hand clutched the letter to her chest. There was a good reason she'd chosen the flat she was in, despite the higher than normal rent. Her building was very secure. You needed to have an electronic key card to get in through the door by the foyer and then you had to use the card again in the lift, which would only take you to the floor you lived on. She'd given Christopher a card because he needed to be able to drop Jake off (though technically only Frank would use it now) and she'd sent a card to George so he'd be able to come up to her door for their date.

He had never returned it, Alicia realised. Please let it be him, she thought desperately. She didn't know what she was going to do if some stranger was standing on the other side of her door. She tiptoed over to retrieve her wand from the kitchen bench just in case. Another loud knock made her wince and she made her way over to look through the peephole.

She'd never been so happy to see red hair. He had his head turned but it was definitely George. Alicia's overwrought emotions got the better of her and she threw the door open and grabbed the front of his shirt as a dozen different words all tried to tumble out of her mouth at the same time.

It was only then that she realised her mistake.

She let go of his shirt and stepped back. "Urgh. Fred!"

They were still so identical. Probably on purpose. But it was definitely Fred. She was a little out of practice but she was still able to tell them apart close up.

"Urgh?"

Alicia's heart rate was slowly returning to normal. It wasn't George, after all. But on the other hand it also wasn't a murderous stalker so that was quite a relief. She gave Fred an apologetic smile.

"Hello, I meant. What are you doing here?"

"Wait, why are you so horrified to see me?"

"I'm not horrified. I don't understand what's happening though."

Fred grinned. "Plenty of time for that. Aren't you going to invite me in first?"

Alicia's stomach fluttered involuntarily at the sight of that familiar smile. "Uh, okay. Is George here with you?" she asked hopefully.

Fred shook his head as he entered the flat with her. "Of course not. Like always…he's working."

"But how do you know where I live?"

"Saw a bit of paper at George's place with your address on it and a handy card thing attached. Thought I'd come see you." He held his arms open and beckoned her over with a bob of his head. "Don't you have any love for your favourite Weasley after all these years?"

Alicia felt a lump growing in her throat and she gratefully stepped into his arms. She still felt so lonely and she was worried now because of the letter and Fred was there while everyone else pretty much hated her. He squeezed her and lifted her a few inches off her feet. She took a deep breath and her senses were flooded with all the smells she associated with George. How did they still smell alike? They didn't even live together anymore.

Alicia wriggled out of his grasp and gave him a little shove back. "Do you two deliberately use the same cologne and shampoo or what? It's not enough you look alike?"

"What are you on about?"

"Never mind. Why are you here, Fred?"

"Because my twin brother is a useless knob-head, obviously. Can we sit down?"

So he knew about the fight on Wednesday. Why was she not surprised? Alicia sighed as she shoved the accursed letter into her pocket and pointed towards the sofa. "I really don't think you should get involved. You might make things worse."

"Like that's even possible," Fred said dismissively. "It's Saturday and the weather is great and you're home alone and he's working on his supposed day off. Losers, the pair of you!"

Alicia threw herself on the sofa and folded her arms huffily. "What exactly am I supposed to do? He said he needed time to think. For all I know he's already decided he doesn't want to be with me."

Fred sat down beside her. "You don't understand. He's a hopeless pillock when it comes to women. He seriously has no clue. I have all the skills with the opposite sex."

"It's not his fault this time. I've put him in a really awkward situation."

"Yeah, but he overreacted and he knows he did. He just has no idea what to do now. I told him to come over and apologise for a start but he thinks you won't want to see him."

"So he does want to be with me?" Alicia asked hopefully.

"Of course. You're like his dream girl or something. He always thought he was being subtle about it, but he's been pining on and off for years. This mess with Warrington has just really thrown him." Fred nudged her playfully with his shoulder. "Good going there, by the way. He seems like a real winner of a bloke."

"Shut up."

"Look, I came here to tell you that you're going to have to make the first move."

"But are you absolutely sure he wants to see me? He was so angry at me, Fred."

"You should know what he's like by now. George only lashes out when something happens that hits a nerve. You happen to be one of those nerves. The idea that you were busy making a baby with a Slytherin while he was back here pining for you must really be killing him."

Alicia dropped her head into her hands. "You're not making me feel any better here," she mumbled.

"He'll get over it. The fact that he got so angry is a good sign because now I know for sure that he really cares about you."

Alicia kept her face buried as she considered this. It was true that she'd only ever seen George truly angry when someone hurt or insulted a member of his family or one of his friends. Otherwise he never fought or made a fuss about anything. Her heart swelled as she thought about how loyal and protective and caring he was.

Her head snapped up. "All right. Help me, Fred. Tell me what I should do."

"Well, you see, I happen to have a plan in mind already."

Alicia recognised the glint in his eye even though it had been many years since she had last seen it. "Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this plan?"


	5. Burned Her Bridges

A/N: Ok. So you might notice this isn't a new chapter. I somehow skipped posting chapter 4, so you should go back and read that if you received a notification for a new upload. Sorry for the confusion.

* * *

Alicia tugged her denim skirt down self-consciously. This had disaster written all over it. How had Fred even talked her into doing something so utterly stupid? His damn red hair and brown eyes and lopsided smile, that was how. It was just lucky he hadn't realised back at school that he could use his resemblance to George against her.

Plus, he had assured her over and over again that George actually would be happy to see her. The one thing he couldn't guarantee was that anyone else there would be happy to see her. Alicia, though, was certain that no one else in the house was going to be pleased when she showed up without warning.

So, that begs the question, why was she standing on Katie's doorstep awkwardly adjusting her clothing then? This night was going to be painful and confronting but she needed to do it, to get it out of the way finally. And Fred had reasoned that it might be beneficial to get it over and done with in one go. See George and Angelina and Katie at the same time, thus killing two birds with one stone.

Alicia had a weird feeling she was the one who was about to have stones hurled at her. But at the end of the day she desperately needed George and her friends back in her life. She was going to have to do this sooner rather than later and she was sick of feeling like the prat who fell over at the Battle and let everyone down. This was her time to prove she was brave and ready to face up to her greatest fear, because that ultimately was her greatest fear, that she had burned her bridges and no one would want anything to do with her anymore.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She heard footsteps come running immediately and Fred threw open the door. They had planned this only a few hours ago in her flat. Fred would be the one to open the door and bring her in. Then, _surprise_!

"What the hell, Leesh, you look like crap."

"Uh, excuse me?"

"You're paler than Nearly Headless Nick. Are you going to faint?"

Alicia shook her head, which only served to make her feel as if she might truly pass out. "I can't do this, Fred."

"Course you can," he answered cheerfully. "You're already here. The hard part is almost over. Take my hand and we'll walk in together."

"Thanks," Alicia said softly. She suddenly felt very young and small and out of her depth. She blushed and surreptitiously rubbed her sweaty hand on her skirt.

"Come on, before someone wonders what's taking me so long."

Fred seized her hand and dragged her unceremoniously into the house. She could hear voices in another room.

"I don't understand why I can't answer my own front door all of a sudden," Katie was saying.

"That idiot is up to something," Angelina replied.

"Ah, the love of my life," Fred whispered.

Alicia smiled and squared her shoulders. The least she could do was walk in with her head held high. "Thanks for doing this, Fred. I really owe you one."

"Fred! What are you up to over there?" Angelina shouted.

"You don't owe me anything. Just be good to my brother and look after him for me."

Alicia nodded fervently. Fred squeezed her hand and led her through Katie's modest little house. She lived in Edinburgh which didn't surprise Alicia one bit. Katie had grown up in London and was a city girl through and through, so there was no way she could handle living in a little village like Hogsmeade. She needed the noise and the hustle and bustle.

They walked through the living room and stopped in the doorway of the kitchen. George and Angelina were sitting at the table and Katie was walking over to them with three drinks clutched precariously in her hands.

"Oh my gosh! Look who I just found on the doorstep!" Fred announced dramatically.

Three heads turned to them and three things happened simultaneously. George leapt to his feet, sending his chair flying back; Katie squealed and dropped all three glasses which smashed on the tiled floor, sending water and juice everywhere; and Angelina swore and started calling Fred every name under the sun.

Fred quickly pulled his wand out of his pocket and repaired the glasses and cleared the mess away. George retrieved his chair then stood in the middle of the kitchen with his hands on his hips and a confused look on his face.

"Hi, everyone. Hope you don't mind if I join you for dinner," Alicia said tentatively.

Katie shoved past George and threw herself at Alicia. "I can't believe you're here! Why didn't you tell us you were coming? I would have planned a much fancier dinner. We were only going to have pizza. Do you still eat pizza?"

Alicia hugged Katie tightly and studiously avoided eye contact with George. "Anything is fine, Katie. I mainly came to see you guys anyway. I'll eat whatever you're planning to have."

"Oh my God, I've missed you so much!" Katie released her and stepped back. "Let me get a good look at you. Shit, your boobs look _fantastic_. What have you done to them? And your hair is so long! I love it!"

"Thanks. You're still as gorgeous as ever, Katie. I love the darker highlights in your hair."

Angelina stood up and marched over. "Yeah, yeah, we're all still smoking hot. What's going on here? How did Fred know you were coming?"

Alicia could see the anger and hurt in Angelina's dark, almond-shaped eyes. She didn't want any of that anger aimed at Fred. "It was entirely my idea. I thought it might be a nice surprise for you all."

"A nice surprise? It's been almost six years! You can't just show up unannounced like this!" Angelina said.

"Ease up, Ange," George said mildly.

She immediately turned and concentrated her ire on him. "You keep out of it. If Fred knew she was coming then you had to know as well."

"Uh, did you not just see him flip his chair over? No way George knew she was coming tonight." Katie pulled Alicia over to the table and made her sit down. "I want to hear everything, Leesh. How long are you visiting for? Where's your sexy French boyfriend?"

Fred grabbed Katie by the shoulders and manoeuvred her around to the other side of the table. "Relax and give the poor woman some space. George, get her a drink or something."

"Water?" George asked, meeting Alicia's gaze for a split second. "Or something a little stronger perhaps?"

"Water is fine."

"Why don't you sit down and relax too, my sweet," Fred suggested lightly and Alicia noticed that this time he didn't try to manhandle Angelina. He probably knew he'd end up with a few broken fingers. "Drinks all around, Georgie. I'll have a Butterbeer."

Angelina sat in one of the chairs next to Katie and Fred sat on the other one. Alicia felt strange sitting alone on the other side of the table. It felt like an interrogation or something. That probably wasn't going to be far from the truth, she thought bitterly. How was she going to do this? All at once, nice and quick? Or one thing at a time? Let them digest each revelation in turn?

"Well?" Angelina prompted snappily. "I believe Katie asked you some questions just now. Do you plan on answering either of them?"

"Come on, you sound like an Auror now," George said as he dumped some glasses of water and a few Butterbeers on the table. "Give it a rest, will you. Alicia doesn't have to answer if she doesn't want to."

He sat down beside Alicia and she tried not to get her hopes up. It didn't necessarily mean anything that he was defending her. Maybe she should grab his hand under the table and see what reaction she got.

"So how long are you here for?" Katie asked brightly, ignoring the indignation radiating from Angelina.

"I'm back for good, actually. I'm renting a place in London at the moment."

"Yes! That's brilliant!" Katie enthused. "I knew you'd come back one day. Everyone else thought you were long gone."

Alicia swallowed and braced herself for the onslaught. Angelina was openly glaring at her from across the table. "So you decided to move back home and didn't bother to tell anyone? Or don't you think your former friends deserve to know?" she demanded.

"Please don't say former friends. I never meant for it to happen like this." Alicia reached out and grabbed a glass of water and clutched it for dear life. Her hands had started to shake. "I've thought about coming to see you every day since I got back."

"Wait, how long have you been back?"

"Almost a month now," Alicia answered sheepishly.

This time even Katie looked stricken. Angelina stood up and shook her head sadly. "I can't believe you would do this to us. You disappear with barely a word for all those years then you can't even be bothered to see us till a month after you get back. I'm glad I know where I stand."

Alicia didn't know what to say. She stared down at the tabletop and blinked back tears. Fred spoke up for her. "You don't understand, Ange. It's more complicated than you think."

Angelina ignored him. "And these two imbeciles knew you were back before I did. That's the real insult here."

"Angelina…"

"No, George, I've heard enough. I'm not going to sit here and listen to any more."

With that, she stormed out of the kitchen. A door slammed in the distance and Fred let out a loud breath. "Well…not an entirely unexpected reaction."

"I don't understand why you would do this," Katie said. Alicia looked up to see she was also now standing and shaking her head forlornly. "I always defended you when Angelina said you had abandoned us for good. I knew there had to be a reason you hardly ever wrote to us. But if we're still your friends you should have come to see us the moment you got back."

"I'm sorry," Alicia said hopelessly.

Katie followed in Angelina's footsteps and the same door slammed shut again. Alicia took a few gulps of her water and wished she actually had asked for something stronger to drink.

"You shouldn't have come here tonight," George said. "This was a bad idea."

"Yeah. Clearly no one wants me here, so I might as well leave."

"No," Fred said firmly. "Stay right where you are and you shut up, George. This had to be done eventually."

"The Quidditch season is coming to an end so Angelina is stressed and tired. You know better than anyone that this is really bad timing."

"You think she should have waited another month to show her face? That'd make the girls even angrier."

"They're already furious and they don't even know the worst part yet. When Angelina finds out about Warrington she's going to lose it. This was a stupid idea, Fred. You shouldn't have gotten involved."

Alicia stood up suddenly and slammed her empty glass down on the table. "Look, this is my mess and I'm going to sort it out on my own. I'll go tell them everything and if they don't want anything to do with me, then so be it!"

Fred was suddenly looking uncertain about the whole situation. "Maybe you should let them calm down a bit first. We can go for a walk and pick up some pizzas."

Alicia shook her head. She'd mustered some resolve from somewhere and she wasn't going to let it slip through her fingers now. "You two go on your own. I'm going after the girls to tell them everything and if I'm not here when you get back then you know it didn't go well."

"Alicia, stop and think about this."

"No. I'm done keeping Jake and Christopher a secret from everyone. I don't care if the whole world knows anymore because they're part of who I am. Yeah, I admit I didn't handle it well, but I don't deserve to be punished for the rest of my life for one personal decision I made five years ago."

Alicia finished her speech, her chin trembling slightly. The twins didn't say anything this time so she left the table and followed after her friends. She walked right into the lion's den with her head held high.

"So…"

"I'm not talking to you."

"You just did."

"Bloody hell, Fred. Why'd you bring her here? When did you arrange this whole thing?"

"I went to Alicia's place today. Warrington made a point of telling you that he was watching his son this weekend so I knew she'd be able to come to dinner. I was just trying to help."

George shook his head and tried to keep his temper in check. "So _that's_ where the access card to her place went. Why did you go see her behind my back? What were you trying to do?"

"I was trying to force your hand!" Fred answered exasperatedly. "You need to do something before you lose her again."

"I lost her the moment she decided to get involved with Warrington."

"Don't be ridiculous. She wants you, not him! Are you blind? She showed up here tonight knowing she wasn't going to get a warm welcome from any of you. Give her a little credit for making an effort."

"I'm not having this conversation with you," George said firmly. "It's my life, not yours. Worry about yourself and Angelina from now on, okay."

Fred opened his mouth but closed it again when George glared at him. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. It was only broken by a loud squeal from the direction of Katie's bedroom.

"That probably means they know about the kid," Fred said with a wry smile.

"His name is Jake," George said quietly.

"I know. So how long do you think this is going to take? Ten minutes? Fifteen tops? I'm bloody starving."

"I think it's going to take a lot longer than fifteen minutes. Might as well go get some pizzas."

George stood up and left the kitchen without waiting to see if Fred would follow him. A scream and a loud smash emanated from Katie's room this time. They both knew it was Angelina and they both knew it could only mean one thing. Alicia had told them about Warrington now as well.

George retrieved his wand and some Muggle money from Katie's coffee table and wondered briefly if Alicia was going to tell the girls what had happened between them over the last week. He'd asked her not to, but he hadn't exactly done anything to make it worth her while to keep a secret from her best friends. Ultimately, he couldn't really blame her if she told them everything. Anyway, Fred would probably tell Angelina eventually and then Alicia would be in more trouble for not coming clean herself.

"I can't remember, is it left or right?" Fred asked as they walked down Katie's driveway.

"It's left." George threw his brother an incredulous look. "We walk to this same pizza shop every few weeks. How come you're twenty-six and still have no memory for directions?"

"How come you're twenty-six and you still have no idea about women and relationships?" Fred shot back. "And you won't even accept help from your own twin brother who happens to be an expert in the field."

"Fine! Enlighten me then. What should I do?"

Fred hummed thoughtfully to himself, as if he really was about to give a master class in relationships. "At this point, you could do _anything_ and it'll be a good start. I mean, you just need to do something more than what you're doing now, which is nothing."

"You suck at this."

"I can't tell you _exactly_ what to do! I don't know Alicia well enough to know what she likes. I buy Angelina jewellery whenever I fuck up real bad. Could you do that?"

George rolled his eyes and fought a sudden urge to stick out his foot and trip Fred so he would fall flat on his stupid face. "Oh yeah. Here Alicia, I'm sorry I shouted at you and showed you my ugly scar. Have a pair of earrings."

"Earrings _and_ a necklace then?"

"That's dumb. You're dumb. In what universe would you ever be considered an expert on women?"

"In this universe right here where I've had a perfect relationship with my soulmate for the last nine years." Fred hummed thoughtfully again. "Okay, what about a romantic gesture then? Make some fireworks in the shape of a big love heart?"

"That might work if she was still fourteen years old."

"Point taken. Don't worry, I'll think of something else."

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Fred would open his mouth every once in a while then frown and close it again. He clearly wasn't going to be of any help. George was going to have to work it out for himself.

They made it to the pizza shop and placed their usual order. While they waited, George wondered how things were going back at Katie's. Would the girls really drive Alicia away once they found out everything? He hadn't exactly reacted maturely either but part of that was the way he found out. Hearing it from Alicia would have undoubtedly softened the blow.

Besides, Angelina and Katie probably wouldn't be quite as disgusted as he had been. They'd want to hear all the gory details. On the other hand, the thought of Alicia being with Warrington still made George's stomach churn. How was he going to handle being around their son all the time? Was Jake going to be a constant reminder that Alicia had once slept with Warrington?

A woman called out their order number and slid three boxes across the counter. Fred handed the top two boxes to George and they left the shop. As soon as they were outside Fred opened the box he was carrying and started eating a slice of pizza as they walked back.

"I've got it this time," he said through a mouthful of pepperoni.

"I don't want your advice anymore."

"No, I've really got it this time. When we get back you have to walk straight in and grab Alicia and kiss her."

"What?"

"Yeah! All the girls will think it's so sweet and romantic if you just march right over to her and kiss her without saying anything."

"That's sexual harassment, not romance. That's the worst suggestion so far." George sighed and figured he might as well come clean. "I haven't even made a decision yet."

"What do you mean?" Fred demanded, spraying pizza everywhere. "We both know you want to be with her. You were too dumb to notice back when she wanted you, then by the time you wanted _her_ she wouldn't even look you in the eye. After school you procrastinated and then she disappeared for years. Don't wait around any longer because Merlin knows what could happen this time."

"But it's not that easy. What if Warrington is-"

"Don't worry about Warrington!"

"What if Alicia realises she should get back together with him," George pressed on. It felt good to tell someone about everything that had been flipping back and forth through his mind for the last few days. "He is the father of her child after all. That's a major connection. I'm just the bloke she had a crush on at school."

"You lost your virginity to each other – that's something."

George almost dropped his pizzas. "Don't you dare mention that to her. She doesn't know that you know about that night."

"Never fear, it's locked away in the vault," Fred assured him. "I don't get why you're worried though. If Alicia wanted to be with Warrington she'd still be with him."

"What if she changes her mind in a few years?"

"Why would she? He's a fucking prick and it sounds like Alicia knows that now. You should be more worried about someone else snatching her away. You think she's going to stay single while you take forever to sort out your shit?"

George had been so focussed on Warrington that he hadn't even considered that possibility yet. That panicked him a little bit. She was beautiful and funny and sweet, of course she wouldn't stay single forever. It was sheer dumb luck that she hadn't met the love of her life back at school, back when he was focussed on making trouble and having fun. He may have been a late bloomer when it came to the opposite sex, but plenty of other blokes at school had fancied Alicia. Right now it didn't seem like she was obsessed enough with him anymore to ignore any other man who showed an interest.

"So what do I do?"

"I told you already! Just do _something_, for Merlin's sake. You need to man up and cut her loose or tell her you want to be with her. What you're doing to her now is just plain cruel and you know it."

Fred was right about that at least. George knew doing nothing was the worst thing of all, but he didn't think tonight was the right time to make his choice. He needed time alone with her. Maybe they could take a walk together later.

If she was even still here. Fred opened Katie's front door and they both paused in the entryway and listened hard.

"It's awfully quiet," George said ominously.

"Wait. I think I can hear someone crying. Go and take a look," Fred hissed.

"No way! I'm not going into that room on my own."

George followed Fred towards Katie's bedroom. As they got closer he noticed the door was ajar and he too could hear someone crying.

"Ladies! Come on out, we have pizza!" Fred announced cheerfully as he kicked the door open.

All three women were still there. All three of them were huddled on the floor together and it looked like they were _all_ crying.

"You're the self-proclaimed expert, is this a good or bad sign?" George asked.

Fred shrugged and helped himself to another slice of pizza. "Wouldn't have a clue, mate. I honestly don't understand women at all."


	6. Best Friends And Soul Mates

The pizza smelled so good and Alicia was _sooo_ hungry. Katie still wouldn't let up with the questions though.

"But I still don't get it. Why Warrington?"

Angelina thrust her slice of pizza in Alicia's face. "Exactly! If you insist on betraying your house and team at least pick a hot Slytherin!"

Alicia chose to leave the comment about betrayal for later. Angelina was still teetering on the edge of hating her and she didn't want to start an argument. "He's better looking now and it's not like I had the whole Slytherin Quidditch team lined up in front of me to choose from."

Katie cocked her head thoughtfully. "But how much better looking? Like on a scale of one to ten?"

Alicia took a huge bite of pizza so she wouldn't have to answer. George was sitting next to her at the table again and he'd barely said anything since he'd returned with Fred. This was not a conversation she wanted to have in front of him. Thankfully, Fred spoke up and changed the topic.

"Nobody wants to hear about Warrington. Tell us more about Jake."

Alicia swallowed and gave him a grateful smile. "Jake is the best. I can't wait till you all get to meet him. He'll be so excited to meet my old Quidditch team."

"He likes Quidditch?" Angelina asked, her tone of voice finally lightening up.

"He loves it. He goes for the Kestrels right now but he changes teams every other week. His bedroom is covered in Quidditch posters."

"I'll get him a heap of Arrows merchandise then. I can probably still get tickets in the players' box for our last home game, if you think he'd like that."

"He'd love that! Wow, that's really sweet of you, Lina."

Angelina shrugged coolly. "It's no big deal. I'll use my connections to get Jake whatever he wants. It's not his fault his father is an evil Slytherin git. That's on _you._"

One step forward then two steps back. Alicia shirked away from Angelina's stare and instead turned to Katie. "I want to hear about what you guys have been up to. How come you're single, Katie? I thought for sure you'd be doing a long distance thing with Lee."

"Oh, don't bring up Lee," Fred groaned.

Angelina rounded on Katie. "Go ahead and tell her all about Lee."

"Lee's fine. I still see him when he's in the country," Katie said.

"He's comes back every couple of months to have sex with her then he leaves again," Angelina clarified bluntly.

Alicia's eyebrows shot up. She knew that Lee had taken a liking to broadcasting after he hosted an underground Wireless show during the war. After Voldemort's defeat he'd been given the chance to create his own show and he'd started doing these really gritty and in-depth reports about various issues throughout the international magical world. It had been the most popular Wireless program for the last couple of years. It was syndicated in a few European countries and Alicia had enjoyed listening to it in France. Lee's familiar voice had been very comforting when she was homesick.

"We're both adults," Katie was saying as Alicia tuned back into the conversation. "I'm perfectly happy with the arrangement we have."

"But it's not the only so-called arrangement you have. Go on and tell Alicia about the rest of it," Angelina prompted.

Katie shrugged and idly picked an olive off her pizza. "I might also spend time with Oliver when he's in the neighbourhood. No big deal."

Alicia froze, her glass of water halfway to her mouth. "Oliver? _Our_ Oliver? You mean to tell me you're shagging him and Lee at the same time?"

"Not at the same time, obviously. They're never in town together so it's never been an issue."

Alicia looked over at Angelina and knew right away that this _was_ an issue for her. Out of the three women, Katie was a lot more liberal with her sexuality, but it never bothered Alicia so long as she was safe and happy. Angelina on the other hand was a lot more traditional and conservative when it came to sex and relationships. Alicia had always been the peace-maker and she could only imagine the horrible arguments her friends had endured in her absence.

"You need to choose one or the other before this blows up in your face, Katie!" Angelina insisted, probably not for the first time.

Alicia switched her gaze back to Katie and saw that the tips of her friend's ears were turning red, a sure sign she was about to snap, so Alicia jumped into the fray without thinking. "Since everyone involved is a fully functioning adult, I think it's fine if everyone is happy with things the way they are."

Angelina pounced on her immediately, her lecture to Katie forgotten for the moment. "You haven't been here so you don't get an opinion! Lee and Oliver don't even know about each other."

Katie's ears were entirely red at this point. "They both know I'm not exclusive with them. They get to blow off a little steam when they're in Scotland and I get fantastic sex, _plus_ I get to do whatever I want when they're not around. Win-fucking-win, Angelina."

Alicia winced at the thought of Oliver and Lee ever finding out they were both currently shag buddies with Katie. "I think maybe we need to talk more about this, see if we can't sort this mess out."

"It's not a mess! It's my life and I like it perfectly fine the way it is," Katie snapped.

"No way, Alicia," Angelina interjected suddenly. "It's too late for you to walk back into our lives and think you can solve everything. Katie's happily wasting her life on two men who'll never settle down with her. Maybe if you'd been here in the first place it wouldn't have turned out this way, but you chose a Slytherin over us."

Alicia stood up and pointed at Angelina. "I want to talk to you alone in Katie's room. Now."

"Bad idea," Fred said softly. He put his arm around Katie's shoulders as she blinked back tears.

Angelina stood up without saying anything and headed back towards Katie's room. Alicia trailed after her and shut the bedroom door behind herself. She settled herself on Katie's perfectly made bed and crossed her arms expectantly. Being best friends with Angelina hadn't always been smooth sailing, especially during her tenure as Quidditch captain, but Alicia would give anything to have their friendship return to the way it had been all those years ago. She wanted the good and the bad. She wanted the mood swings and bossiness, because, well, that was Angelina. Alicia loved her unconditionally, just like everyone else out in that kitchen did.

"What's your problem?" Angelina demanded.

"Why are you being such a bitch?"

"Why do you think? Use your brain."

"You think I betrayed you because I was with Warrington?"

Angelina sat down on the end of Katie's bed as well. "That's not it! Why do you think I was crying with you two before? You had a baby and didn't tell me!"

Alicia shuffled a little closer but didn't touch her yet. She didn't know what to say. They had been best friends since the moment they met on their first trip on the Hogwarts Express and she'd still only ever seen Angelina cry a handful of times before.

"I'm so sorry, Lina."

"I worked out the math on it. Jake is four and you wrote me that long letter three years ago. You had the chance to mention him then and you didn't."

"It was too much to put in a letter."

"You should have told me you were pregnant in the first place! I would have come over to be by your side straight away. No matter who the father was I would have been there for you. You robbed me of the chance to share all those moments with you. I don't know how I'm supposed to just get over that."

"I'm sorry. I'll do anything, Angelina. Please just tell me what I can do."

Angelina shook her head and tears began to roll down her cheeks. "Then Fred and George found out about Jake before me."

"I told you I didn't plan to run into George that night," Alicia said quickly.

"I know but it doesn't make it less painful. We were best friends and soulmates before the boys showed up in our lives. Remember? When I started dating Fred I told you that you'd still be number one no matter what."

Alicia threw her arms around Angelina and was grateful when she returned the hug. They sat there hugging and crying for a while. Alicia decided she had to start putting Angelina first. Whatever was going on with George would have to take a backseat for a while.

"I don't enjoy playing Quidditch anymore," Angelina said softly, her head resting on Alicia's shoulder.

"I could tell something else was up. Tell me all about it."

"It's just not fun playing professionally. It's so draining. There's sponsors and owners and vicious fans and constant performance reviews. I'm always getting weighed and measured and poked and prodded. I hate it."

"There are rumours you're going to retire. Why haven't you announced it?"

"Because I'm scared. I've decided to settle down and start a family with Fred but I'm worried that'll be too boring for me. What if I hate _not_ playing Quidditch?"

Alicia kissed the top of her braided head. "We'll work it out together. I'm back now and I promise I'll never leave you again. We should go see if Katie's all right though."

Angelina nodded then lifted her head. "I really think she needs to pick one or the other. It can't go on like this forever."

"I'll help work that out as well. We're still the Gryffindor Chasers, right? Standing strong together through anything."

"Absolutely. I need to go and wash my face before I go back out there. I must look awful."

Alicia grinned at Angelina. "You're still insanely beautiful and you know it. I hope Fred knows how lucky he is."

"I'm the lucky one. He's so good to me even when I'm being unbearable."

"Then your relationship hasn't changed much at all," Alicia said playfully.

Angelina gave her a shove towards the door. "Watch it. I haven't completely forgiven you yet. You're going to have to be on your best behaviour for the next few months."

"I'll do whatever it takes to make this up to you and Katie," she promised.

Angelina was no slouch at holding a grudge, so Alicia knew it was going to take a while and she was going to have to be the one making an effort most of the time. At least when she was dealing with Angelina she felt like she was back in her comfort zone. George was more of an enigma.

Alicia made her way back to the others and found they were now sitting in the living room. Fred was sitting in an armchair frowning at the movie currently on the television. George was sitting on the sofa next to Katie, who was cradling a large bowl of ice cream to her chest.

"You all right now, Kate?" Alicia asked, sitting down on George's other side.

She nodded. "George gave me some ice cream and, look, the Sound of Music is on TV tonight."

"But why do they keep stopping to sing all the time?" Fred muttered. "I don't understand what's happening."

Katie reached across George to grasp Alicia's forearm. "I'm so glad you're back," she whispered. "I'm really sick of having to explain Muggle stuff to these three."

Alicia smiled to herself. Although she hadn't met Katie till they started playing Quidditch together, their bond was strong. Katie was a half-blood like her so they shared a background Angelina had never understood. She was the third point of their little triangle and they'd grown to love the younger witch with every passing year at school. Katie was easy-going and carefree where Angelina could be uptight and obsessive. Alicia was the middle ground between them more often than not. In fact, Alicia thought it was kind of a miracle that Angelina and Katie had stayed friends without her being there as a buffer. From the look of it, Fred and George had stepped into that role somewhat.

Alicia realised the group dynamics had evolved easily without her around and she wasn't really sure how that made her feel.

"Can we spend the day wandering around Muggle London like we used to?" Katie asked hopefully.

"We'll do everything you want. We can even have a movie night next time Jake stays with his dad, okay."

Angelina returned then and settled herself on Fred's lap. They began whispering to each other and Fred started placing little kisses all over her cheek. Alicia quickly turned her attention to the TV and tried to ignore the jealousy flooding her body. She'd never had a relationship like that. Christopher had hardly ever been that affectionate with her and he certainly hadn't been that way in front of others.

"You better get used to all that public groping happening over there. They're like that whenever they aren't fighting."

Alicia turned to George and theatrically gasped. "Oh, you are capable of speech!"

"Just got a lot on my mind at the moment," he replied pointedly.

"What's wrong? Do you have to talk your way out of another one of Ginny's blind dates?" Katie asked between mouthfuls of ice cream. "Leesh, you gotta hear about these ridiculous blind dates George goes on to keep Ginny happy. It's so funny."

"She doesn't want to hear about those stupid dates."

"I think the cat lady was the funniest," Katie continued. "What were her cats called again?"

"I can't remember," George replied shortly.

"They were all named after teachers she'd had at Hogwarts," Fred answered on his behalf. "Remember, one was called Severus. Imagine if George had actually snogged that woman while furry little Snape had watched from the corner."

Alicia laughed along with her friends and realised she was finally back where she needed to be. In the end, she'd been forced to leave France against her will, but this was where she should have been all along. She had wasted too much time trying to make things work with Christopher.

"Well, I think it's officially time for me to leave," George announced from beside her, causing her heart to sink.

Katie gasped and clutched his arm. "Don't leave! I promise we'll stop teasing you."

"I'm used to you lot teasing me about my love life. I need to leave because I've got to be at the shop early tomorrow morning to do some paperwork. As always you were the perfect hostess, Katie."

Alicia had to make her move right now. If she could just get a few moments alone with George she might get some sort of answer from him. If they both left at the same time she might be able to corner him outside.

"I should get going as well," Alicia said, stifling an embarrassingly fake yawn. "I'm usually in bed by nine o'clock these days."

George stood up then wordlessly extended his hand down to her. She took it slowly and searched his eyes, trying to second guess what he could possibly be thinking. She got nothing at all. But he kept hold of her hand and started walking towards the front door. Katie halted their progress by reaching out and grabbing Alicia's other hand.

"Wait! I want you and Angelina to stay here tonight." Katie stared up at Alicia, large green eyes at full puppy dog capacity. "Please. It'll be like back at school when you used to let me spend the night in your dorm room."

George turned back and gave a little shrug. "Sounds like she really wants you to stay the night."

Angelina clambered off Fred and joined Katie on the sofa. "It could be fun to have a sleepover like the old days."

Alicia knew then that she would be staying. All she wanted to do was make her friends happy from now on. She owed them her time and attention. So she reluctantly dropped George's hand and returned to her spot on the sofa.

It was about half past eight when Alicia woke up alone in Katie's bed the next morning. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept in so late. The sound of Muggle music playing in another room had ultimately roused her. She took a moment to stretch luxuriously after being squeezed between her friends for hours. They'd initially enlarged Katie's bed, but the spell had worn off sometime during the night and no one could be bothered to get up and try again. Cramped conditions aside, Alicia hadn't slept that well because she spent all night thinking about George.

She was really at a loss now. She needed to call in reinforcements.

"Oh, you're up."

Alicia looked over to see Katie standing in the doorway with a plate full of pancakes. "Yeah. Sorry. You should have woken me when you got up."

"It's all right. I was coming to wave some pancakes under your nose. Are you hungry?"

"Famished." Alicia grinned and rolled off the bed. "Is Angelina still here?"

Katie nodded. "She's on her second plate of pancakes and doesn't look like stopping any time soon. She says the team nutritionists can kiss her fat arse. You better get into the kitchen before there's none left."

Alicia stopped by the bathroom to freshen up a little then joined her friends at the kitchen table. Angelina was enthusiastically attacking a stack of syrupy pancakes as she sat down. Katie handed her a plate of her own and she began to eat.

"It seemed like you didn't sleep well," Katie said to Alicia as she too took a seat at the table. "Something wrong, love? Aren't you happy to be back with us?"

Alicia forced a smile. "Ecstatic. I can't say I missed Angelina's snoring though."

"I donot snore," Angelina replied tartly. "Whatever you're upset about has something to do with George. That much I'm sure of."

"How could you possibly know that?" Alicia demanded. So much for the big secret.

Angelina shrugged, reaching for more syrup. "I could tell something was up with George. I lived with him for long enough and he shares so many mannerisms with Fred that it was glaringly obvious."

Katie nodded in agreement. "I could tell something weird was going on as well but I just figured George was still embarrassed and nervous around you after what happened all those years ago at the Yule Ball."

Alicia almost choked on her mouthful of pancake. "Oh God, no. How do you know about the Yule Ball incident?"

"Angelina told me."

"Fred told _me_."

"This is so embarrassing. I'm going to kill George."

"I can't believe you actually managed to keep it to yourself in the first place," Angelina said. "All you did was natter on about George for years then you neglected to tell us that you had sex with him."

"Because it was mortifying!"

"Don't worry yourself about it. No one's first time is good," Katie reassured her. "I mean, mine was perfect but I'm probably the exception."

"Actually, my first time was pretty great as well," Angelina said.

"Wow, you two are making me feel so much better."

"Who cares though?" Angelina asked. "It was years ago and a lot has changed."

"For a start, George isn't a crap shag anymore."

"What?" Alicia whispered, staring at Katie in shock.

"Oh! I don't know from personal experience or anything like that! I'd never do that to you and he's too much like a brother to me now anyway."

"Some of his ex-girlfriends liked to overshare," Angelina explained, a sour look on her face.

"Ex-girlfriends?" Alicia echoed.

"Of course. Were you hoping he'd been saving himself for you this whole time?"

"I'm not that selfish. I realise I don't own him but I thought I would have heard if he'd had a significant relationship. It made the French papers when _Percy_ got married."

Katie looked at Angelina briefly then shrugged. "Well, I suppose Gwen was the only significant relationship he's had."

"Right," Angelina agreed. "George doesn't exactly shy away from media attention but he's always evasive when it comes to his love life. Even when that stupid slag Rita Skeeter won't leave him alone."

Katie suddenly gasped and slapped her hand down on the table. "It was you! I read Skeeter's column last week and I thought it was just another one of his blind dates but it didn't properly click till now. You kissed George outside the shop that night!"

Alicia nodded, glad that Katie had worked it out on her own. It felt less like she was betraying George that way. "Someone saw George kiss me when we were standing out the front of the shop."

Angelina dropped her fork with a noisy clatter. "Wait. George kissed _you_?"

Alicia met her gaze boldly. "Yes. More than once actually."

"You're telling me he still kissed you after you told him about Jake and Warrington?"

Alicia sighed and dropped her own fork. "I only told him about Jake that night. I wanted to give him time to adjust to that first but Warrington showed up at the shop in Diagon Alley and the cat was out of the bag."

"That bastard!" Katie shouted. "What an awful way for poor George to find out. He must have felt so blindsided."

"It definitely wasn't how I wanted him to find out. We ended up having a huge fight and he told me he needed to take a few days to think about whether he could deal with the whole Warrington thing. That was on Wednesday though and he still hasn't told me what he wants to do. That's why it was weird between us last night."

Angelina let out a disbelieving breath. "This is some mess you've gotten yourself into."

"I know. I need your help sorting it out. I haven't got a clue what I should do now."

Katie nudged Angelina. "Should we help her?" she asked in a stage whisper.

"I don't know," Angelina mused. "I'm not sure she deserves our help after everything she's done."

"But there's also George to consider. We don't want him to end up heartbroken and we both know what he's like."

"I suppose we do owe it to George at the very least. _He's_ always been there for both of us."

Alicia sighed. "Are you two done yet?"

"Aw, she looks so desperate, Ange. We should help her."

"I suppose that's what friends do for each other. She'd owe us big time though."

"I'll do whatever you want!" Alicia said. "Just tell me what I should do!"

"Obviously you'll have to go see George today."

Angelina nodded in agreement. "It's pretty simple. Even you can't mess it up."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Alicia said dryly. "Fred gave me similar advice but I'm not so sure. I'm not in any position to be putting pressure on him. Maybe I should give him the space he obviously wants."

"No," Katie said firmly. "George isn't great at relationships, okay. It took him over two weeks to decide to ask out Gwen and he almost missed his chance with her."

"And Gwen is much prettier and nicer than you," Angelina added helpfully. "So you could end up waiting months."

"Bitch," Alicia muttered and snatched a pancake off her plate. "Do you really think he won't do anything unless I make a move first?"

"George is just going to think and think and think. He'll end up overthinking himself straight into a nervous breakdown."

"Katie's right. George is sweet, but he's also dumb. He's just a big red-headed puppy dog really. You have to take charge of this. Trust me. I'm uniquely qualified in the field of Weasley twin thought processes."

"All right. I understand what you're saying but I can't go see him today. Jake is getting dropped off in less than two hours."

Katie shrugged. "Then just go see him now."

"_Now_?"

Angelina stood up and pulled her wand out of her pocket. She waved it at their plates and they all floated over to the sink which simultaneously began to fill with water. "Yes! Get your arse to Hogsmeade right now. It's Sunday so the shop won't open till ten but he said last night he's going to be there early."

"But I want to be here with you two. I owe you some attention right now."

Angelina tutted and wandered over to the sink. "Relax. We survived without you for six years. An hour without your illuminating presence is hardly going to kill us."

Katie stood up and wrapped her arms around Alicia's shoulders from behind. "She means to say that we appreciate the effort you're trying to make but this is more important. Everyone just wants you and George to be happy."

"But I'm not even ready to go there now. I'll have to go home and change and put on makeup and do my hair. And I don't even know what to say!"

"There's no time for you to go home. Shower here then borrow some clothes off Katie and we'll sort out your hair and makeup. It'll take half an hour at most. As for what to say, just tell George that he's not the only man in the world and you'll quite happily move on if he doesn't make up his mind right then and there. Simple."

Alicia let Katie pull her to her feet. As desperate as she was for a resolution, the thought of going back to Hogsmeade made her feel queasy. "I don't know, Lina. That could backfire on me. What if he decides he doesn't want to be with me?"

Angelina tossed a cheeky wink over her shoulder. "Then you'll be free to move on to Montague or Flint next."

"That's offensive and uncalled for," Alicia snapped.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. If you're enjoying this and want more please let me know. I haven't been motivated to work on this story lately so some encouragement would be much appreciated. Also, I just wanted to give everyone fair warning now that the rating on the story will be going up soon, as there will be a sex scene eventually. If that's not your cup of tea then maybe stop reading now before you get too invested. Alternatively, I'll also give a warning at the start of that particular chapter so you can just skip the smut if you want to. Thank again! Next chapter: Alicia goes to see George. They may or may not snog up against a wall...


	7. Much Needed Friction

A/N: This chapter is pure George/Alicia and I loved writing it. A little taste of what's to come soon. I decided not to spend too much of the story dealing with how they get together, but I also couldn't help dragging it out a teeeensy bit more. So expect a few more hurdles (and chapters) before the smut. In the meantime, enjoy!

* * *

Hogsmeade was virtually deserted at this early hour on a Sunday. Alicia's footsteps echoed through the streets as she headed towards George's shop wearing a borrowed skirt and blouse. For whatever reason, she wasn't feeling nervous anymore. She knew this was what she had to do to get some control of her life. She'd just been going with the flow for too long. Her head was clear now; her objective set in stone. If George wasn't receptive then there wasn't much she could do about it, but at least she wasn't going to die wondering.

Life was too short to play hard to get and there was no way she was going to risk losing someone as special as George by being demure and passive. It was the twenty-first century now, for Merlin's sake! Surely women could pursue men all they wanted without being thought of as promiscuous.

Alicia's hand jerked forward and knocked on the door of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. She squinted through the glass and could just make out movement at the back of the shop. She knocked again, then heard George shout back, "We're closed! Come back in forty-five minutes!"

Alicia knocked again, even louder this time. Eventually George stalked over to answer the door. His expression changed from one of frustration to confusion upon seeing her through the glass. Alicia gave him what she hoped was an alluring, confident smile.

He frowned at her briefly then opened the door. "Well, aren't you full of surprises lately?"

"Morning, George," she said cheerfully as she briskly slid past him into the shop.

"Morning."

"Since I was already in Scotland I just thought I'd drop by and see how you're doing."

"You saw me all of twelve hours ago," George pointed out.

"Well, truth be told, I have come here to get a few things off my chest."

George raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Is that so? Do you mind if I finish my breakfast while you do that?"

"Not at all."

Alicia followed him through to the back of the shop and into a small storeroom. The walls were lined with shelves of neatly stacked boxes and there was a desk against the far wall. A few hooks by the shelves held bright magenta robes. George went over to the desk and shoved a pile of parchments aside so he could sit down on top of it. He extended a plate of food towards Alicia.

"Cinnamon toast?"

"No thanks. Katie made us pancakes this morning."

"Suit yourself." George took a large bite and eyed her expectantly.

"I think you're brilliant," Alicia said abruptly, then winced inwardly at her lack of nuance. For all her confidence, she still wasn't much of an orator. George had paused mid-chew and was staring at her.

"I mean, you're really brilliant at everything you do. And you're brave and kind and funny."

George swallowed, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "_That's_ what you had to get off your chest so desperately?"

Alicia nodded. She could feel her confidence returning now. "I should have told you back at school," she explained. "I should have told you before I went away. Hell, I should have told you the other night. You're really special to me and I wanted you to know that."

"Uh, thanks. I guess," George said hesitantly. "Oh, you're brilliant too."

"No, no. I'm not fishing for compliments here. This is about you. I regret a lot of our past and I want to apologise. I shouldn't have kept quiet about my crush for so long and I shouldn't have lied about not being a virgin that night."

"It's all right, I know we-"

Alicia held up her hand. "Not done yet. I should have visited you in St Mungo's after the Battle. Most of all I shouldn't have disappeared on you like I did. I wish I had come to you and told you how I felt. Even if you had rejected me, I should have just come clean."

"But you're here now."

"Exactly. I've said my piece and I need to know now where we stand. I've waited days for you to make up your mind. I can't live in limbo anymore, George. Tell me what you want to do or I'm going to walk away."

Alicia's heart was racing. Now that she'd said it out loud, she did sound like a demanding banshee. Did she really have any right to force his hand?

George stood up and folded his arms across his chest. "Wait, wait. _You're_ giving _me_ an ultimatum? That's why you're really here?"

"I wouldn't call it an ultimatum exactly," Alicia said quickly. "This is my attempt at taking control of my life. I feel like I'm at a crossroad right now and I need some clarity."

George advanced on her and she found herself stepping back against the wall. "So if I tell you I'm still not sure yet you're just going to turn around and walk right back out of here?"

Alicia grasped hold of her last ounce of resolve and replied, "Yeah, if you don't make up your mind right now I'm done here. I can't wait around forever."

George placed a hand on the wall beside her head and leaned in so that their noses were almost touching. His breath smelled like cinnamon. "Hold on, why do you get to be the impatient one all of a sudden? I had to wait six long years before you stumbled accidentally back into my life. Then you hit me with all of these insane revelations. Do you seriously think you're in any position to be giving me an ultimatum?"

Bollocks. He sounded pissed off now. Abort mission. Everyone had clearly given her the wrong advice as some sort of sabotage. _Abort fucking mission!_

She opened her mouth, intent on taking back everything she'd just said, but he silenced her by placing a finger to her lips. "You've really got some nerve, Spinnet."

Then she spotted it in the crinkle of his eyes and the tilt of his mouth – he was actually amused, not pissed off. She'd dodged a hex this time around. She slapped her hand squarely in the middle of his chest and pushed back till she was able to slide out from between his body and the wall. She retreated to the other side of the room and perched herself on the edge of the desk. She crossed her legs primly and leaned back on her hands.

George actually grinned at her and shook his head. "Why do I have this sneaking suspicion you're going to break my heart?"

"I already told you I'd never do that," she said firmly. "Not intentionally, anyway. But you could very well break my heart and I'm willing to take the risk."

"Why though?"

"Because I think you're worth it. And I need you in my life right now. I need stability and you're rock solid, George. I came to Hogsmeade that night trying to find some reassurance, some sort of sign that I was back where I belonged."

"And did you find it?"

"Not till I was in your arms. I feel safe and comfortable when I'm with you and I figure that must mean something."

"Are you actually serious about getting an answer out of me right now?"

Alicia shrugged because she simply wasn't sure anymore. An ultimatum seemed too harsh but the uncertainty was still exhausting. "Well, let's just say I'm not getting any younger over here. You're only getting better looking with age – which is infuriating, by the way – but I might only have a few good years left in me."

"You're only twenty-six. I hardly think you're about to wither away before my eyes," George replied mildly. "Besides, everything looks fine from where I'm standing."

Alicia tilted her head and smiled. "Perhaps you ought to take a closer look. You know, just to be sure."

George shook his head, grinning in return. "You've got heartbreaker written all over you," he said, but he walked over anyway and stopped right in front of her. "There's a few things you need to know before anything is decided."

"Go on."

"I don't half-arse anything in my life, all right. This has to be all or nothing." George put his hand on her knee and gently uncrossed her legs. He nudged her knees apart and stepped in between them. "By that I mean you can't see any other blokes. I don't want to end up in a situation like Lee and Oliver are with Katie."

Alicia nodded quickly, her voice having deserted her. She had George Weasley between her thighs. Her younger self would have fainted. Hell, her current self might very well do the same.

"And no more secrets," he said firmly. "No matter what it is, you tell me from now on. Even if I'm not going to like it."

Hmm. She ought to tell him about the letters then. He could help. Or he could make things worse. Or he could end up in danger. Alicia thrust the letters to the back of her mind. It was sorted now anyway. Pretty much. She just needed to get a Masking Charm put on her place _then_ it would be sorted.

"No more secrets," she agreed, leaning forward and looping her arms around his neck. "That it?"

"We need to communicate better this time around."

"I'll definitely agree to that one."

"With that in mind, I have one more request," George said. "I know you think it's ridiculous, but I only want to hear it once more then it won't be an issue. Tell me you're done with Warrington."

Alicia swallowed her frustration when she recognised the vulnerability in his eyes. She couldn't discount his feelings any longer; if it bothered him, it bothered him. Who was she to tell him he was being ridiculous. "I'm beyond done with him. I spoke to him on Wednesday afternoon and told him that I was no longer going to have any face-to-face contact with him."

"Is that even possible?"

"He has a personal driver who is going to drop off and pick up Jake from now on. If I need to tell Christopher something regarding Jake it'll be via owl. He completely overstepped the line when he showed up at the shop that day. I never want to see him again."

"You don't have any lingering romantic feelings for him?"

Alicia shook her head. "Not even an inkling. Our relationship was over long before I came back to England. It's dead and buried, George. I can promise you that wholeheartedly."

George exhaled and she felt a bit of tension in his shoulders release. "Right. Then I have one more request."

"Anything."

"You've gotta kiss me this time."

"Does that mean you want to be with me? We're going to do this?"

George shook his head defiantly. "Kiss first before I decide anything."

Alicia twisted her hands up into his hair and pulled him forward. When their lips met he groaned appreciatively but let her take the lead. She kept it light and sweet and tried to pour all of her emotions into it. Years and years of pent up adoration flowed out and she felt tears welling up behind her closed eyelids. She'd almost ruined her chance, but here they were. Finally.

She tried to pull back, but George put his hands on her thighs and slid them beneath her skirt as he deepened the kiss. Now it was her turn to groan appreciatively when his tongue brushed against hers, leaving a distinct taste of cinnamon in her mouth. The feeling of his fingertips digging into her thighs was sublime. She wanted to feel some skin too so she dropped her hands to his waist then slipped her hands beneath his shirt. Her fingertips ghosted over his hip bones and across his stomach.

Except she forgot about the awful scar and when her fingers met with the puckered flesh she flinched. George abruptly ended the kiss and pulled her hands from beneath his shirt.

Alicia felt her cheeks start to burn. "Shit. I'm sorry, George. I didn't mean to react like that. Honestly, I was just startled because I forgot the scar was even there."

George squeezed her hands between his. "S'all right. I shouldn't have shown it to you like that the other day. I'm sorry."

"Is there really nothing that can be done about it?" she asked. "There are some great Healers in France I could arrange for you to meet."

"I've lost count of the amount of Healers I've seen over the years. They all agreed that the blade the Death Eater used on me was cursed with some powerful magic. But without knowing the exact nature of the magic used they can't treat me. Dark curses like this can be volatile and any treatment could make things infinitely worse for me."

Alicia's mind was a spinning whirlwind of anger and grief. Why did something like this have to happen to George? He was pure and sweet and selfless. It wasn't fair. Where was Draco Malfoy's huge ugly scar? How did an insipid toad like him get through the war unblemished?

"It felt warm to the touch. Is that normal?" Alicia asked

George nodded. "That's the active magic apparently. I promise you though, it doesn't cause me any real pain. It twinges and pulls if I stretch my stomach too much but otherwise I forget it's there."

She reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him back to her. She rested her head on his shoulder and said, "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I really should have realised I couldn't use the argument that not all Slytherins are evil. Not with you anyway. You hate them all for good reason."

"It's not so much that I hate anyone. My parents certainly never encouraged us to hate someone just because they were sorted into Slytherin. Bill and Charlie used to come home at the end of the school year with stories galore though. I guess over time it just became ingrained; Gryffindors don't like Slytherins and vice versa."

"I get it, believe me."

"I shouldn't have yelled at you like I did. I think I got so upset because you said you were feeling homesick before you crossed paths with Warrington. Would you have come back home if it weren't for him?"

"Probably," she said.

_Definitely_, she thought.

"That's why I got so angry. Because he was the reason you didn't come back years ago."

"I'm here now," she pointed out, nuzzling his neck.

George lifted his arm and glanced at his wristwatch. "And we have twenty minutes before I need to open the shop."

Alicia pulled back and looked up into his deep chestnut eyes. "There's plenty two consenting adults can do in twenty minutes."

"Appealing as that sounds don't you think we should slow down a bit?"

"Why?"

"I don't really know," George admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just thought that was the right thing to say. Don't other people take this sort of thing slowly?"

Alicia slid her hands up his chest and rested her hands on his shoulders. "What do other people know? Other people are fucking stupid."

"Sound argument," George said.

Alicia grinned triumphantly and kissed him again. It was different to kissing Christopher all those years ago. He had always been slow and deliberate and measured, always holding a little something back for the grand finale. George was passionate and energetic right from the get go and he kissed with his whole body. His hands tangled in her hair at first then slid down her back to settle on her hips.

He dragged her to the edge of the desk, bringing her crotch directly in contact with the obvious bulge in his trousers. The jolt it sent through her body made Alicia squeak in surprise. George groaned loudly in response and the sound of it rumbled through her chest as well.

Alicia tore her lips away and sucked in a lungful of air. "George…"

"Sorry. I promise that wasn't deliberate."

"It's fine. It's just…not enough."

"We can't though. Not here," George breathed huskily in her ear. "Fred and I made a pact never to shag or anything in the shops. It's our place of business after all."

Alicia's head dropped back and she laughed. "Are you serious? Your brother broke that pact within a week of us graduating."

"He what? How do you know that?"

"Angelina told me. She doesn't normally kiss and tell but even she couldn't resist bragging about that one. If I remember correctly it happened on the counter right next to the cash register."

George made a gagging noise. "Not the counter! I used to eat my lunch off there. I'm going to kill that lying bastard."

Alicia giggled and stroked his hair soothingly. "Don't be too harsh with them. They'd been apart for weeks."

"And we've been apart for _years_. Fucking sod it." George hooked his hands under her knees and she took the cue and wrapped her legs around him. "Tell me when you want to stop, all right."

"All right," she echoed softly as she was lifted off the desk.

George kissed her again and she was entirely sure she never wanted to stop. He walked blindly till her back hit one of the walls and he pressed her against it firmly. This new position gave George the leverage he'd lacked on the desk. He dragged his lips across her cheek and over to her ear. Alicia held on for dear life and tried to wriggle her hips and find some much needed friction. George obliged, thrusting his own hips up to meet hers.

Alicia had no idea where this side of George had come from. She'd watched him for years and could never have guessed this was what lay beneath the surface. Perhaps it was that woman Gwen who had first seen this side of him. Deep down, Alicia hoped this fervour was only for her.

Her head lolled to the side as he kissed his way down the slope of her neck. She leaned a little too far over though and George lost his grip and balance momentarily. Alicia reached out blindly and her hand seized hold of a pair of robes hanging on a hook beside her. George muttered an apology into her hair and readjusted his grip on her thighs.

A sudden noise from the doorway made them both freeze. Someone had cleared their throat loudly. Alicia opened her eyes to find one of George's employees standing outside the door to the storeroom. She swore and tried to pull her skirt down a bit.

"What are you doing here?" George demanded, glaring back over his shoulder.

"I work here, remember?"

"Not for much longer," George muttered darkly.

"I only came to get my uniform then I'll leave you to it." Derek motioned towards the hook beside Alicia. "Would you mind?"

Alicia belatedly realised she still had a set of robes clenched in her fist. "Oh God. Sorry."

Derek flicked his wand and the liberated robes floated over to him. "Not to worry. Nice seeing you again, by the way," he said brightly.

Alicia gave him a wan smile and continued to try covering her bare legs that were still wrapped around George. Derek left and she exhaled loudly. George lowered her back down to the ground and she quickly fixed her skirt back into place.

"Sorry about that."

"Not your fault," Alicia said immediately. "Not Derek's either. We did leave the door wide open."

"The little shit will be unbearable all day now."

Alicia smiled and smoothed George's tousled hair back down. "I've just added snogging to the list of things you're brilliant at."

"My ego's going to get out of control if you keep this up."

"You going to be all right there?" she asked, flicking her hand vaguely towards his groin.

"I will be in a minute. My go-to mental image is Umbridge naked – guaranteed erection-killer." George reached passed her and grabbed a pair of robes off a hook. "Till then I can at least put these on. Can't even tell you how many teenage boys at school were glad to have long, flowing robes to wear."

"Sorry you're uncomfortable," she said sincerely. "If it's any consolation though, I won't be able to ever eat cinnamon again without getting wet knickers."

George exhaled loudly and shrugged into his robes. "Comments like that aren't helping my situation much."

"Sorry."

"No you're not."

"These clash horribly with your hair," Alicia segued smoothly, smiling innocently and reaching out to button the robes for him.

"That's kind of the point," George replied.

Alicia noticed his name embroidered on the front of the robes in gold thread. She idly ran her fingertip over the letters and tentatively said, "So we should go on a date soon, right?"

"Presumptuous, aren't we? I don't remember giving you an answer to your offensive ultimatum."

Alicia's stomach dropped. "But I thought…"

"Good Godric. Relax! I was only joking." George shook his head as relief flooded through her. "I do that a fair bit so you're probably going to want to get used to it."

"I know. I'm just a little tired and overwrought at the moment. This last week has felt like it lasted a year."

"That's completely my fault. We'll go on a date as soon as you're free."

"Maybe try for lunch on Wednesday again?"

"I can make that work. I'll come and pick you up at midday." He reached out and cupped her cheek. "This time I promise I won't shout at you."

Alicia turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand gently. "That'd be nice. Just remember to get your access card back off Fred so you can come up to the flat."

"_My_ card?"

"It only gets you in the building. It's not like it's an actual key to my flat," Alicia said quickly. She was moving way too fast. She was going to scare him off already. "Still, if you don't want to keep it I completely understand."

"No, no. I'll keep it. It'll make things a lot easier for us."

"All right," Alicia said casually, as if he hadn't just made her day by agreeing to keep the card.

"So have you had any luck job hunting this week?" George asked as he went over to the desk and retrieved his forgotten breakfast. He grabbed his wand and used it to reheat the toast then resumed eating.

"I haven't really started looking yet," Alicia admitted, feeling herself blush a little. She'd been too preoccupied with George to concentrate on much else. That was all well and good when she was fifteen but these days she had a kid to feed. "But now that Jake is starting at his new nursery school this week, I'll have four days free to go to work. I'll take a look at the Ministry vacancies tomorrow. I figure that's my best bet."

"Is that what you want to do though?"

Alicia shrugged. "I don't really have the luxury of waiting around for my dream job. I have rent and bills to pay and no current income."

"Well, I have a proposition for you that could benefit both of us at the moment."

Alicia raised her eyebrows and walked over to him. "Oh?"

"I'm going to need help when Fred goes abroad soon," George explained. "I'll be busy keeping both shops running while he's gone and I'm gonna need to hire someone else to help out."

"You mean me?"

"Why not? You need money and I need an employee. It'll also give you a bit of time to find a job that you actually want to do. You can do four days a week while Fred is gone and I'll even be able to give you a couple of days a week after that."

Alicia pursed her lips doubtfully. "I don't know, George. I'm really bad at selling stuff to people. No, seriously! My first job after school was at a Muggle clothing store and it was a complete disaster."

"I'm sure you'll manage. Our products sell themselves for the most part anyway. You'll just need to smile and take the money."

"I'm just not sure…"

"We also pay really well, but it's entirely up to you. I just thought it'd be an easy solution for both of us."

Alicia could tell that her reluctance was disappointing George. His offer really would take some of the pressure off. Plus, it was definitely preferable to going back to the Ministry.

"Okay then. Consider me your new employee," she said. She reached out and brushed a toast crumb from his bottom lip. "Will I have to call you boss now?"

She watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed thickly. "No," he answered eventually. "I mean, not unless you want to."

Alicia smiled and shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see, I guess."

George leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. He brushed her hair back from her face and said, "I haven't had a good reason to skive off work in a long time, but you're really tempting me right now."

"As much as I'd love to stay, I need to get home. Jake is getting dropped off soon and I'm excited to see him. I'm not used to him being away from me yet so I miss him a lot when he's with Chris."

"That's fair enough. Come on, I'll walk you out the front."

George took her by the hand and led her out of the storeroom. Derek was standing at the counter dropping coins into the cash register. He gave Alicia a farewell wave. "I'll see you around soon, I suspect."

"Shut up and start re-stocking the shelves," George ordered.

"Bye!" Alicia called back over her shoulder. George led her to the front of the shop and held the door open for her. "Don't be too hard on him. He seems like a nice kid."

"He's a pain in the arse is what he is. Too cocky and obnoxious for his own good."

"Really? Sounds like a boy I knew back at school, _two_ boys in fact."

"Fair point," George allowed. Movement in the Gladrags shop window caught both of their attention and George scowled. "Stupid old witch."

"Isn't that Mrs Battersby?" Alicia asked. "She ran the shop back when we were at school. I remember her being lovely."

"Not since we moved into the neighbourhood. She thinks our shop is 'garish and uncouth'. Can you believe it? She's also the one who blabbed to Skeeter about us."

Alicia's polite expression soured quickly. "Oh. She's staring at us right now. What should we do?"

"Put on a show for her I suppose."

George wrapped his arms around her waist then lowered his hands to cup her bottom and pull her flush against him. She squeaked in surprise and opened her mouth to protest but was immediately silenced by a passionate kiss. George dipped her in his arms and she clung to his shoulders for dear life. It felt like a lifetime before he finally set her back on her feet and released her lips.

"Let's see her report that to Skeeter."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Reviews are life!


	8. Gryffindor vs Slytherin

A/N: Welcome back. Thanks for sticking around. As a reward, here's a nice long chapter from the boys' POV. First half is from Christopher's POV. The second half is all Georgie. This takes place about two weeks after the last chapter. Enjoy and pretty please review!

* * *

Christopher glanced guiltily over at the bowl of cold beef stew on his desk. Marta had brought it up over an hour ago and ordered him to eat it. She'd be back up soon and he actually was hungry now. He took his wand out of his top drawer and waved it over the stew. It began to gently bubble and steam.

For once Christopher hadn't been distracted by work. A letter from Alicia was spread out on the desk in front of him. It had arrived a few hours ago and he'd already read it about half a dozen times, trying to reconcile his feelings about its contents.

_Christopher,_

_I wanted to let you know that I'll be taking Jake to a Quidditch game tomorrow. Angelina got a bunch of us tickets in the players' box for her match against the Wasps. The thing is, George will be there as well and it's the first time Jake will be meeting him. I won't tell Jake that we're a couple yet and I'd appreciate you keeping it to yourself as well. I'll tell him when the time is right._

_Anyway. I'm not asking for your opinion or your approval, I just thought you should be kept in the loop. Jake is sure to talk about it when he sees you tomorrow night and I didn't want you to be caught off guard._

_That's all I needed to say._

_Alicia._

Christopher hadn't known this was the plan when he'd agreed to let Alicia have Jake on what was supposed to be _his_ Saturday visit. It hadn't escaped his notice either that she'd left it till the last minute to tell him about the match. There was no way he could stop it happening now without upsetting Jake. That woman claimed to be Gryffindor to the bone, but Christopher had always been able to spot her Slytherin tendencies. Yeah, so maybe he was the only person who brought out that side of her, but that was hardly his fault.

So tomorrow Jake would be spending all day with Weasley (and God knows who else) and there was nothing Christopher could do about it. At first he had contemplated writing a strongly worded letter in response, but that wouldn't do any good. Alicia was going to do what she was going to do regardless of his feelings. The more he protested, the more she would make his life difficult.

Christopher was startled by a sharp knock on the door. He reflexively scrunched up the letter and shoved it in a drawer. He dragged the bowl of stew in front of himself and hurriedly ate a mouthful. But it was still too hot and all he managed to do was burn the inside of his mouth.

He was a grown man and he was scared of his little old housekeeper. What the fuck was wrong with him?

"Come in."

Marta opened the door and stood hesitantly in the hallway. Her face was pale and her hands were twisted in her apron. Christopher immediately stood up and came around to the front of his desk. "What's wrong, Marta?"

"She just showed up out of nowhere. I tried to tell her you weren't home but I was nervous and she could tell I was lying. She's waiting downstairs. I'm sorry, Christopher."

He didn't need to ask who _she_ was. The look on Marta's face said it all. Well, this meeting was going to have to take place eventually. Probably better to get it over and done with. "It's all right. I guess I can spare the woman a few minutes of my time. She did give birth to me after all."

"So you'll come down to see her?"

"No. Bring her up here so she knows I'm not going to drop everything I'm doing just because she deigned to show up at my house."

"Oh dear. Are you sure about this?"

"It's fine," Christopher replied firmly. "I'm a big boy now."

Marta looked unconvinced but dutifully nodded and scurried off to retrieve his mother. Christopher immediately made his way over to the drinks cart. He didn't drink alcohol often but it seemed like the appropriate time to open the bottle of fifteen-year-old scotch he'd been given by one of the executives at his firm.

He was just returning to his spot behind his desk when Marta reappeared. He slowly regarded the slender witch who entered the room with her. Cristina Warrington was still a beautiful woman even though she was now approaching sixty. In fact, she didn't appear to have aged much at all in the three or so years since he'd seen her.

Christopher had inherited his darker features from her. Her parents were of Spanish birth but she herself had been born and raised in Blackpool. Despite her decidedly English upbringing, she still put on an exaggerated Spanish accent when she spoke certain words. It irritated the hell out of him.

"Christopher, darling."

He stood obligingly then bent his head so she could kiss him on each cheek. "Hello, Mother."

"Shall I bring some tea up for you?" Marta asked from the doorway.

His mother waved her hand dismissively and said, "No. Leave us."

Marta didn't move and Christopher smiled wryly. "She works solely for me now, remember. You can't just send her away anymore." He turned to his housekeeper. "We're fine here. You can head home for the night."

Marta smiled gratefully and ducked back out into the hallway. Christopher couldn't blame her for not wanting to be in that room any longer. His mother hadn't really shown up on a whim; she always had an agenda of some sort.

"You look well," he said conversationally.

She laughed and tossed her long, dark brown hair over her shoulder. "Ah, it is all an illusion with me, darling. But you are even more handsome every time I see you."

"How did you find out where I'm living?"

"Oh, I still have some friends at the Ministry. Someone told me you had connected your fireplace to the Floo Network."

"So much for confidentiality."

"Then imagine the shock I received when I found out you have been back in England for months," she continued. "You couldn't spare an hour to come and visit your poor mother?"

Christopher grabbed his scotch and took a steadying sip. He could feel his ire spiking already which wasn't a good sign. "So we're just going to pretend none of that business happened five years ago?"

His mother raised her chin defiantly. "I cut you off for your own good. Obviously I did the right thing. Look at you now! You live in an atrocious Muggle house but you clearly have money of your own. That wouldn't have happened without my little push."

Christopher slammed his glass down on the desk, causing his mother to flinch. "What are you talking about? You almost ruined me! I'd have been destitute in a matter of months if Alicia hadn't helped me blend into the Muggle world."

"You think _she's _responsible for your success? That Gryffindor Mudblood!"

Christopher pointed his finger warningly. "She's half-blood and you know it."

"I thought you'd come to your senses once you ran out of money. I was trying to exercise tough love with you, Christopher. I never wanted to push you away," she insisted, clutching at his forearm imploringly.

"No, you wanted me to abandon my child."

"I wanted to keep the Warrington bloodline pure!"

"Not this rubbish again. My great-grandfather was a half-blood, for Merlin's sake. No family is totally pure anymore and anyone keeping up that pretence is delusional to say the least."

Christopher shook his head and willed himself to calm down. Why did he always revert to being a petulant teenager around his mother? He was a grown man living in his own house now and he had his own child to concern himself with. Time to take charge of the situation.

"Mother, we both know you're not just here to have a friendly chat. What do you want from me?"

She simply patted his cheek then wandered over to the drinks cart. "Your sister is doing well, thank you for asking."

"I don't care. Once again, what do you want from me?"

His mother poured herself a sherry then went to sit on the cream leather sofa. "I don't want anything from you, darling. I'm here to help you of course."

"Of course," Christopher muttered bitterly. "And what exactly would I be needing help with?"

"This awful situation you've gotten yourself into with the Gryffindor needs to be resolved immediately. I'm going to help you get sole custody of the child."

Christopher sighed and rubbed his forehead. "The child has a name and Alicia and I have a custody arrangement in place already. You're a little late to that party, Mother."

She suddenly reached out and slammed her own glass down on the coffee table. "Don't be flippant! This is a serious matter. I heard the rumours going around the Ministry and I will not have my grandson being raised by a Weasley!"

"He's being raised by Alicia and myself. No one else."

"Do you know how bad this looks? I've already seen people whispering behind their hands as I walk past. I will not be made a fool of in front of my oldest friends." His mother stood up and put her hands on her hips. "I've already retained a solicitor for you. He says it won't be easy but it's possible you can gain sole custody if we prove she's an unfit mother. I'm sure you can make up some story about seeing her abuse Muggle drugs."

Christopher laughed and shook his head. "You're insane, you know that? Completely fucking insane."

"Christopher!"

He went to stand right in front of her. He glowered down at her and was pleased to see her shirk away slightly. "I couldn't care less about your reputation. This doesn't even concern you."

"You're choosing her over me again. Your own mother! Your father and I didn't raise you to be so disloyal to your own family."

"You really want to talk about loyalty? Father was loyal to Voldemort and no one else. He slept around behind your back every chance he got. And you were no better," he added quickly, cutting off the beginning of her protest. "But your jealousy is misplaced because I'm not loyal to Alicia either. I tolerate her for my son's sake because he is my only priority. I'll do anything to make him happy so if that means making nice with his mother then I'm going to keep the peace from now on."

"And in the meantime you ruin the Warrington family name within our community. How dare you," his mother hissed.

Christopher sighed loudly. He suddenly felt old and tired. They'd had this same conversation many times since his father's death and the fact that his mother still insisted that their family was important in the wizarding world was vexing. Their name was maligned long before he procreated with the enemy. At the end of the day, the Warringtons weren't as pure-blooded as the Flints or Malfoys and they didn't have as much money as some of the other families with mixed blood. On the Slytherin hierarchy they sat somewhere around the middle and there was nowhere to go but down.

"Our name hasn't carried any weight for a long time," he replied flatly. "Father was a sycophant who threw most of our money at Voldemort and got nothing in return. Charlotte's barren, has been married twice, and is now hunting around for her third victim. Then there's _you_ prancing around with your nose in the air as if you're Slytherin royalty. Our family is a joke to them. They keep you around to laugh at you behind your back."

His mother just rolled her eyes and tutted. "And you're blameless as usual?"

Christopher shrugged and swirled his drink slowly. "Sure, I probably hammered the final nail into the coffin when I fucked a Gryffindor, but our family was already a laughing stock long before then."

His mother stood up and walked over to him. She took his free hand between her own and looked up at him pleadingly. "And don't you see you're the only one who can fix this? If you re-enter our social circle as the handsome, successful man you are now it will turn heads. Bring your son with you so everyone can see you're bringing him up to be one of us." She reached up to cup his cheek gently. "Escort me to the Malfoy's banquet next month. Please, Christopher?"

"Not a chance," he answered immediately. "All of you worked together in a concerted effort to exile me and destroy the career I was trying to build. I want nothing to do with any of you and I certainly won't be letting my son near you."

For a second Christopher thought his mother was going to slap him. Her eyes became as cold as ice and her lips contorted into a nasty sneer. "You are no son of mine, you ungrateful, heartless wretch."

Christopher smirked. "Watch your language, Mother."

"I will not extend another olive branch to you. I'm officially done with you."

Before Christopher could say anything further, his mother Disapparated and he finally let out a relieved breath. No doubt she would show up again wanting money or help or access to Jake but for the moment he was rid of her. Maybe one day he would see fit to reconcile with her but he couldn't ever expose Jake to her. He wanted his son to grow up free from the malevolent cesspool he himself had been raised in.

But at the same time he didn't want Jake raised amongst the ginger cesspool that was the Weasley family. His mother's words had hit a nerve. What if Jake began to see Weasley as a father-figure? What would he be willing to do to avoid that?

Christopher was agitated. Alicia's letter combined with his mother's visit had him on edge. He briefly contemplating throwing himself on the sofa and making a real dent in the bottle of scotch he'd opened. Except he wasn't much of a drinker usually, so it'd hit him hard. The thought of spending the night alone in his big empty house drinking himself into a stupor was downright depressing. He wasn't old and feeble yet. Surely he could come up with a better way to blow off steam.

He opened one of the drawers on his desk and fished out a Muggle mobile phone. With practiced ease he unlocked it and began to scroll through the list of contacts. So this was also slightly depressing but at least he wasn't reduced to paying for sex like his father had done for years. It was coming up on eight o'clock though and a lot of the women he was scrolling past would already have plans for the night.

His eyes settled on the name Nicole. Certainly not the best looking woman he'd ever been with. She was always free though and more importantly she was a little in awe of him and very eager to please. Christopher decided he could use an ego boost after being emasculated over and over again by Alicia recently. He pressed the call button and wasn't at all surprised when Nicole picked up after only two rings.

* * *

"Can you calm down a bit, mate?"

"You mean me?"

"Of course I mean you! You're bouncing your leg and shaking my seat. I'm gonna end up with a lapful of Butterbeer."

George froze. He hadn't even been aware of the leg bouncing situation. "Sorry," he muttered to Fred. "I think I might be a bit nervous."

"Yeah, you think? Just bloody sit still and stop fidgeting because they'll be here any minute," Fred said.

George looked at his watch then at the two empty seats beside him. The match was due to start in twenty minutes and Alicia had promised to arrive early so she could properly introduce Jake to everyone. The Arrows were playing their last home game of the season against the Wasps, their bitter rivals for centuries. The match was a sell-out and the stadium was filling up fast. The excited atmosphere was only adding to George's restlessness.

They were seated high up in the Arrows players' box. George and Fred were in the front row and right behind them sat Harry, Ron, Ginny and Katie. At first George hadn't liked the idea of meeting Jake with everyone else around but Alicia had explained it would be better this way. The idea was to take it slowly and only introduce George as a friend to begin with.

Even though that's kind of all there was to it so far. It was now three weeks since their reunion and he and Alicia had only been on one measly date and it hadn't exactly been a roaring success. The café they'd gone to for lunch had been noisy and crowded and their conversation throughout had been awkward and stilted. A second date had been planned the following week but Jake caught a stomach bug and Alicia ended up having to stay at home with him.

All in all, not a great start to a relationship. The weird transition from almost shagging in a storeroom to uncomfortably talking about the weather over coffee had been jarring to say the least. George knew he sucked at relationships, particularly at the very beginning, but he'd hoped things would be easier with Alicia. Like maybe some instinct would kick in and he'd be able to stop second guessing himself at every step.

The mention of a familiar name made George snap back to attention. He turned around and glared at his siblings. "What are you two talking about back there?"

"Ginny asked me about Warrington," Ron answered.

"What about him?"

Ginny shrugged. "Everything, I suppose. What do we really know about him? Can he even be trusted?"

"Of course not," was Fred's immediate response.

Harry cleared his throat and pushed his glasses higher onto the bridge of his nose. "Don't kill me, George, but I already took the liberty of checking up on Warrington."

"What the hell for?" George demanded. "If Magical Law Enforcement suddenly gets on his case he's going to know it's because of me and he's going to take it out on Alicia."

"It's not a department-wide investigation or anything. I did my own discreet questioning of a few prisoners at Azkaban last time I was there," Harry said. "Warrington senior was a confirmed Death Eater but he never managed to recruit his son. Not through lack of trying by the sound of it."

Ron made a disgusted noise and shook his head. "I don't even understand what Alicia was thinking getting involved with him in the first place. Aside from being an evil Slytherin wanker, Warrington looks like a pimply stick insect."

Katie stopped chewing on her liquorice wand long enough to say, "Not anymore. He's supposedly really fit now."

"I saw him briefly at the shop the other week. I gotta say, evil wanker or not, he wears a suit well. I get the appeal."

"Gross, Ginny, take that back," Fred insisted.

George turned back around and the rest of the conversation became white noise to him. How the hell was he supposed to stop fixating on Warrington when everyone around him was seemingly obsessed with him?

George's leg began to bounce of its own accord again. He had this irrational fear that Jake was instantly going to hate him because of some deep-seated genetic predisposition passed on from Warrington. The flip side of that was even more troubling. What if George couldn't stand Jake because he was too similar to his dad?

Fred nudged him sharply. "Stop it with the leg already. I can see Alicia and Jake coming up the stairs."

George slapped his hand onto his knees and craned his neck. He spotted Alicia first. She was wearing denim shorts and an Arrows t-shirt featuring Angelina's name and number across the front of it. Her long hair was loose and blowing in the slight breeze. The sight of her was enough to relieve half of his anxiety. The other half melted away when she looked up and flashed him a bright smile.

The wizard standing by the entrance to the box checked Alicia's pass then let her in. George's eyes slid to the small figure following along behind and his heart sank for a moment. The boy looked a lot like Warrington. His chocolate brown eyes were darting everywhere, seemingly trying to take in everything at once. His matching brown hair was thick and curled slightly at the ends.

Jake half hid behind his mum as she stopped beside their vacant seats.

"Looks like we made it just in time, Jakey," Alicia said. "I'm going to say hello to my friends, okay. You can sit down if you want."

Jake shook his head and stuck to her back like glue so Alicia manoeuvred the two of them around so she could pull Harry into a warm hug. She stepped back and held him at arm's length for a moment. "You're a sight for sore eyes, Harry."

George thought her voice sounded a little wobbly and he realised this was probably the first time she'd seen Harry since the Battle of Hogwarts. He had to stop himself reaching out and taking hold of her hand to comfort her. Harry seemed to get it as well because he immediately gave Alicia another hug and said, "It's good to have you back with us."

Alicia dabbed at her eyes quickly and turned to Ron next. "My God, Ron, look at you. You must be six foot tall!"

"Six foot one," Ron replied proudly, causing pretty much everyone else to roll their eyes. "It's good to see you, Alicia."

They only shared a quick hug before Ginny seized Alicia's arm and tugged her away. "Hands off her, Ron. You look so good," Ginny enthused, looking Alicia up and down. "France did wonders for you. I'm so glad you're back though."

"Thanks. I heard about the baby and your secret's safe with me. Congratulations, guys," Alicia said quietly and kissed Ginny on the cheek.

"Thanks for being discreet," Ginny said, glancing down at her stomach, which was currently obscured by a set of flowing Arrows robes. "I'm almost halfway and no one has caught on yet. I want to give it another month or two."

As Alicia moved on to hug and kiss Katie, Fred leaned over to whisper in George's ear. "Jake looks a lot like his dad, huh?"

George nodded. Jake had relinquished his grip on Alicia and was now standing in front of Harry and staring up at him, clearly in awe.

Harry crouched down and held his hand out. "Hi. Your name is Jake, right?"

The boy nodded and shook Harry's hand. "You're Harry Potter."

"That's right."

"He knows all about you," Alicia said with a smile as she came to stand beside Jake.

"You played Seeker for Gryffindor with my mum," Jake said. "You caught the Snitch seven times. You even got to be captain. My mum told me you caught the Snitch in your mouth one time, is that for real?"

"Yes and it wasn't very tasty, let me tell you."

Jake giggled and George was pleased to see he at least shared Alicia's dimpled smile.

"And what else did Harry do?" Alicia prompted. Jake looked up at her blankly and shrugged. "Remember all the brave stuff Harry did? I swear I told him you've done more than just play Quidditch," Alicia said, looking embarrassed. "He knows you saved the world and all that. He just really fixates on Quidditch."

Harry grinned and ruffled Jake's hair. "Being known only for my Quidditch skills suits me just fine."

Jake then amused everyone by telling Ron exactly how many goals he let in during his time as Keeper, then informing him sombrely that Oliver Wood was much better him. Jake also knew how many goals both Ginny and Katie scored in their time playing at school.

George's heart was beating faster than normal when Alicia steered Jake back around to the front row to make the final introductions. He was aware that everyone was looking on intently, which only made him more nervous. But he was good with kids and they always liked him so all he had to do was pretend Jake was any other kid who had walked into the store.

"Jake, this is my friend George Weasley," Alicia said.

George bent down and shook Jake's hand briskly. "Nice to meet you, young man. You probably don't remember, but I played Chaser with your mum."

Jake gasped and shook his head. "No you didn't! You were a Beater."

"Aw. I guess there's no fooling you."

"You played for a long time but then you got in trouble and had to stop. Mum said you were the best Beater in the whole school."

"Did she really?" George met Alicia's eyes over Jake's head. She gave him a sweet smile and George's heart rate spiked for a different reason. "Well, I happen to think your mum was the best Chaser in the whole school."

"No," Jake said flatly. "Angelina Johnson was the best Chaser. She scored lots more goals than mummy."

"Cheers, babe. You always know how to keep my ego in check."

"And what about me?" Fred asked. "I suppose I'm relegated to the second best Beater at Hogwarts then?"

"Top eight at least," Katie intoned, patting Fred on the shoulder and earning herself a glare in return.

Jake was standing in front of Fred now, an intense look on his face all of a sudden. "My daddy said you hit a Bludger at his nose."

Everyone stared in silence for a moment. Fred eventually chuckled uncertainly and said, "That's what Beaters are supposed to do, buddy."

Jake shook his head gravely. "It wasn't in a game so you're not allowed. It's not nice to hurt other people. You have to say sorry."

Fred looked to George for guidance, but he could only shrug. He was officially out of his depth already. And apparently Warrington was already poisoning Jake against them. Typical underhanded Slytherin move.

Alicia took hold of Jake's arm and gently drew him away. "That was an accident, honey. Fred already said sorry lots of times."

Jake gave Fred one last suspicious look then took his seat at the end of the row, just as the commentator announced the entrance of the two teams. The players' names were called and everyone in the stadium jumped to their feet and cheered. Beside him, Alicia was bouncing up and down and adding her voice to the cacophony around them. She caught him staring and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.

"You're supposed to be watching the game!" she shouted over the noise.

George glanced over her head to see Jake was occupied clapping and cheering. He quickly ducked his head to kiss Alicia on the cheek. She squeezed his hand briefly and George realised that was probably the most physical contact he was going to get all day.

The match began and everyone took their seats. The initial gameplay was frenetic as usual. Right in the middle of the huddle, Angelina was easily beaten to the Quaffle by her Wimbourne counterpart and she turned to pursue. A Bludger grazed her shoulder, knocking her into her own teammate.

"Oh no," Alicia breathed. "How long has she been like this?"

"Most of this season," Katie answered.

"She's announcing her retirement after the match today," Fred added. "She told us all on Wednesday."

"She didn't tell _all_ of us," Alicia said softly.

"I'm sure she just didn't want to bother you while Jake was ill," Katie said, leaning forward to squeeze Alicia's shoulder.

"She could have at least owled me about it." Alicia sighed heavily and turned her attention back to the match.

"So Jake seems like a great kid," George commented to her, hoping to take her mind off Angelina's exclusion.

"He's definitely a great kid," Alicia confirmed with a grateful smile.

"How does he remember Quidditch stats like that?"

Alicia shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. He's only started doing it in the last few months. I found this book about Quidditch at Hogwarts and he insists I read it to him every night. He's memorised all our stats now and most of the Slytherin team as well. Christopher thinks he's already a genius, but I think he's just a little boy who loves Quidditch."

George's reply was cut off as both Seekers suddenly dived and the crowd erupted. Alicia gasped and slapped her hand down on his leg as she slid to the edge of her seat. The Snitch escaped and the Seekers resumed their idle circling of the pitch. Alicia settled back in her seat but didn't take her hand off his leg.

Fred sniggered from George's other side. "That's pretty handsy considering you're supposed to only be friends."

"Shut up," George hissed back. "Jake can't see us from his seat but Alicia will hear you."

Fred waved his hand dismissively. "No one can hear a thing over this racket."

"Did you see how Jake just pulled all those Quidditch stats off the top of his head then?" George asked under his breath.

"Yeah. Amazing. It's a shame though, because now I don't like your chances of connecting with him since he's already way smarter than you."

"Sod off. He already hates you, so I'm a step ahead there at least. Warrington one, Fred zero."

"Warrington's a right pillock for telling Jake about that accident. Like I meant to hit a Bludger at him or something."

"Accident? Fred. I was right next to you when you hit the Bludger straight at the Slytherin team," George reminded him.

"Yes, but I was _aiming_ at Montague. Not my fault that Warrington got in the way."

"Well you might want to come up with some way to get on Jake's good side."

Fred sat up straight and rubbed his hands together. "Way ahead of you, brother. How much money do you have on you?"

"I don't know. A few Galleons maybe."

"Great. Hand it over then."

George sighed and dug around in his pocket. His shifting movements made Alicia withdraw her hand from his leg leaving him feeling a little bereft. Aggravated, George thrust a handful of coins at Fred.

"Splendid. Now watch the master at work." Fred ducked in front of him and shuffled down to kneel in front of Alicia and Jake. "Hiya, Jake. Enjoying the match so far?"

Jake nodded but didn't take his eyes off the pitch. George smirked to himself. So much for the master.

"Say, do you like sweets at all?" Fred asked. Jake nodded again and still steadfastly refused to turn away from the game. "I'm just off to buy some but I don't know what to get. Do you have a favourite?"

Jake's eyes flickered to Fred for a second then he turned his attention straight back to the game.

"Don't be rude," Alicia scolded her son.

"It's all right, Leesh." Fred got to his feet and gave a dramatic shrug. "I suppose I'll just have to buy some cockroach clusters for myself."

"No!" Jake leapt to his feet immediately, Quidditch momentarily forgotten. "You can't buy _those_. Yuck! Chocolate frogs are the best."

Fred tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Chocolate frogs, you say?"

"Yeah. Or sugar quills."

"Wow. You must know a lot about sweets. Do you think you could come and help me pick the best ones?"

Jake sighed and turned to Alicia. "Sorry, Mum, I need to go with Fred so he doesn't buy all the yuck sweets."

Alicia smiled and stroked his hair. "That's very good of you, sweetheart. Just make sure you stay with Fred and don't wander off."

"I won't." Jake reached over and grabbed Fred's hand tightly. "Let's go. If they have cauldron cakes, you should buy those. Jelly slugs, too. But only the red and the green ones taste good. You can give the other colours to my mum like I do."

George shook his head as he watched his brother lead Jake back out of the players' box. He was glad they seemed to be getting along but he was also a little jealous that Jake had taken Fred's hand so freely.

"That was really smooth. Fred's great with kids," Alicia commented.

"It probably helps that he's on the same intellectual level as Jake," Katie commented from behind them.

Alicia laughed and snuggled into George's side. He was momentarily surprised, then he put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I missed you," she said.

"What? Really?"

"Of course."

"I just thought after that date…"

Alicia took his hand between her own and ran her fingertips over his palm lightly. "I know. That was a bit awkward. I suppose lots of first dates are like that though. I think we just need to try again."

"Yeah. Let's try again," George agreed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He hadn't even realised he'd been so worried, but knowing that she wasn't put off by his hopelessness fortified him immensely. "When can I take you out again?"

"Jake is staying with his dad tomorrow night to make up for me bringing him to the game today. We could have dinner together."

"Sounds perfect. Where do you want to go?"

"Maybe we should stay in this time. I could make you dinner at my flat. I'm not much of a cook, but I think we might be more comfortable there at least."

"Comfortable?" George echoed.

Alicia nodded. Something about the way she said that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Plus, the way she was stroking his fingers softly was sending little waves of electricity through his body.

"I'll come by your place after I finish work," George said, his voice sounding far too desperate and eager for his liking.

"I can't wait." Alicia tilted her head and placed a kiss on his jaw. Then one on his cheek. Then one on the corner of his mouth.

"Sorry to interrupt."

George glared at his sister over the top of Alicia's head. "Seriously, Ginny?" he all but growled at her.

"I'm sorry. You two are adorable and I'll let you get back to it in a minute. I just really need to talk to you, Alicia."

"You have to do this now?" George demanded.

"You know I'll have a lot to organise if this match is to go ahead," Ginny said, settling herself down in Jake's vacated seat.

"Match? What match?" Alicia asked, drawing away from George and sitting up straight.

"An exhibition charity match between the old Gryffindor and Slytherin teams."

Alicia swept her hand around to encompass the group. "What, you mean all of us will play?"

"Well obviously we'll have Oliver instead of Ron. We do actually want to win the match."

"Bugger off, George."

"I originally came up with the idea at the beginning of the year and I started making plans," Ginny explained. "I was going to be the third Chaser till I went and got myself pregnant. I suggested bringing in Demelza to replace me but Angelina wasn't having it. She refused to play anymore and things sort of fell apart from there."

Katie added, "Ange has agreed to play again, but only if you do, Leesh."

"She really said that?" Alicia turned to George for confirmation and he nodded in reply. She then swivelled around in her seat. "You're going to play as well, Harry?"

"I don't have a whole lot of choice in the matter," he responded, shooting Ginny a pointed look, which she merely shrugged away. "The idea's growing on me the more I think about it though. I miss playing and it'll be a good distraction from the stress I deal with at work."

Alicia turned back around and pursed her lips. George could tell she was wavering. He took her hand and said, "Fred and I never got to have closure on our Quidditch days thanks to Umbridge. Imagine if we all got to play together one last time."

"And it's for charity," Ginny reminded her. "Half the proceeds from the ticket sales will be given to Hogwarts and the other half will go to the Potter Foundation. It's going to be a sell-out for sure. Everyone's going to want to see you guys reunited. You're not just Quidditch players, you're heroes because all of you came back together to defend Hogwarts."

George noticed Alicia visibly tense at the mention of the Battle. He placed a comforting hand on her knee. "Think about how much fun we all used to have," he said, steering her mind away from dark thoughts.

"But…Oh God. Gryffindor vs Slytherin? Christopher will probably end up playing in the match as well."

"Will that be a problem?"

"I suppose not." Alicia paused to rub her hand over her face and sigh. "I'm just so out of practice that it's not funny. I haven't even _been_ on a broom in years, Ginny."

"There'll be plenty of time to train up before the match. I'm hoping McGonagall will let us hold the match at the school stadium on the weekend before the students return. So you'll have two months to get back in top form."

"I'll help you," Katie piped up. "So will Angelina when she gets back from holidays. We can run drills together a few times a week."

"My fitness is terrible at the moment. I was out of breath just walking up all those stairs before."

"I can help with that," George offered. "I work out most evenings by myself. Some company would be a nice change."

"You wouldn't mind?" Alicia asked, biting her lip doubtfully.

"Of course not."

"Well. Then I suppose I'm officially out of excuses." She turned to Ginny and nodded. "You can count me in."

"Yes!" Ginny wrapped her arms around Alicia's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "This is going to be brilliant. But, oh God, I have so much to sort out. I'll need to owl Marcus Flint as soon as I get home. The Slytherins will need fair warning to organise themselves. I'll also need to make a public announcement ASAP and start drumming up some interest."

"That won't be difficult; it'll be a guaranteed sell-out no matter what. The general public never got to see Harry play in a match," Ron pointed out. "Everyone's gonna want a chance to see him at it."

"Great. So no pressure at all then," Harry deadpanned.

Ginny peered around Alicia and looked right at George. "For the announcement I was thinking of giving Gwen and Official Quidditch the exclusive. Would that be all right?"

George watched Alicia's reaction out of the corner of his eye. She didn't even flinch at the mention of his ex's name. Perhaps she didn't even know that Gwen _was_ his ex-girlfriend. "That'd be a major exclusive for her," George admitted. She worked hard and she deserved to be given such a major story. The decision wasn't hard to make. "Go ahead and organise it."

He had no issue whatsoever with Gwen. They'd even seen each other a few times since their break-up some eighteen months ago. There had been no awkwardness or animosity at any point. Their split had been a shock more than a tragedy and there was definitely no bad-blood. Besides, Gwen wasn't the sort of person you could ever dislike.

"Wonderful," Ginny said, rubbing her hands together and standing up. "I'll owl Oliver tonight as well. You guys can pass on the news to Angelina. I'll see what Gwen says but I'm fairly sure she'll want to interview you all within the next few days so the story can make the next issue of the magazine."

"Interview?" Alicia echoed weakly as Ginny returned to her own seat.

"Nothing to worry about," George said immediately.

"Gwen's your ex-girlfriend right?"

So much for her not knowing. "Right. She's great at her job though. The interview will be a piece of cake."

"It's fine. I trust you."

George dropped a quick kiss on her temple right before Jake and Fred reappeared, their arms full of sweets. Jake was grinning from ear to ear when he dumped his haul onto Alicia's lap.

"Fred!" she gasped. "Did you just buy every sweet they had there?"

"Most of them," he answered.

"You didn't have to do that."

"It's all right. Besides, George is the one who paid for it all."

Fred turned and handed Katie some more of her precious liquorice wands then passed out random sweets to everyone else. He finally dropped a lone chocolate frog onto George's lap.

"Here you go. Enjoy. By the way, for those of you keeping score, that's Warrington one, Fred one."

* * *

A/N: So now I've introduced the last main plot point, the reunion Quidditch game. That was one of the major motivators for this whole fic. It seemed like fun to reunite the original Gryffindor team and I couldn't resist. Things will start to progress now I have all the ducks lined up. We're just waiting on Alicia and George to get their shit together. Fingers crossed.

Oh wait. The next chapter title is 'Utter Fucking Calamity' so maybe don't hold hold your breath on that one.


	9. Utter Fucking Calamity

"Well it's official, Kate. My life is one calamity after another."

"I'm sure we can sort it out. What are you looking for, love?"

Alicia slammed another one of Katie's kitchen cupboards shut. "Alcohol of course! I can't re-live last night without a glass of something in my hand. Help a girl out?"

"Just to the right of the cooker," Katie answered, flicking her head towards a high cupboard. "It can't have been that bad."

Alicia gave her a 'just you wait' sort of look then stood on her tiptoes to rifle through the contents of the cupboard. "Tequila and Jägermeister? We aren't eighteen-year-olds at Ibiza. Where's the grownup stuff?"

"That's what I like to drink, you judgemental bitch." Katie stomped over and elbowed Alicia aside. "I think there's still a bottle of red wine at the back if that'll satisfy Her Majesty."

"Perfect. Red wine is exactly what I need right now."

Alicia went and grabbed two wine glasses from one of the cupboards she'd been rifling through earlier. Katie retrieved the bottle then led Alicia back through to the front room. As Katie used her wand to Accio the cork out of the bottle, Alicia claimed a spot on the sofa and curled her legs up underneath herself.

Alicia wouldn't normally drink wine at two o'clock in the afternoon, but the situation was dire. She'd come up to visit Katie after spending the entire morning fretting and agonizing over the events of the previous night. Her second date with George had somehow been even worse than the first and Alicia found herself completely at a loss once again.

Katie handed her the bottle and she eyed the label speculatively. "Merlin's balls, Kate. This is a fifty pound bottle of wine. Where'd you get it?"

Katie shrugged uncertainly. "A Valentine's gift from a bloke I saw once or twice?"

"And who sent you those?" Alicia asked, indicating the red roses in front of them on the coffee table.

"They're from Thomas, the one I met on Friday night. Gorgeous body but exceedingly dull. I don't think I'll see him again."

Alicia sighed and poured out two glasses of wine. "Maybe you've got the right idea. I'm beginning to think long-term relationships aren't worth the hassle."

Katie patted her comfortingly on the leg and said, "Don't talk like that yet. Just tell me what happened. Start from the beginning of the night though because I'll need to get the whole picture if I'm going to help you."

"Okay," Alicia said, then took a fortifying sip of her drink. "I'll spare you the details though since it's George we're talking about."

Katie almost spilled her wine as she half bounced out of her seat. "You two finally shagged? And it was obviously awful. Oh no. Oh you poor thing. What are you going to do?"

"Slow down and sit back," Alicia commanded. "We didn't have sex. That was kind of the problem."

"All right. Just start from the beginning. Where did you go this time?"

"After the disaster that was the café date, we decided to stay in. George came over after he finished work and I made him dinner."

"Cracking idea," Katie said with an approving nod. "You can both relax a little more when you're not in public and there's literally a bed in the next room for when the time comes. Love it. Go on."

"So I cooked spaghetti and meatballs because that's the only meal I can make from scratch with any degree of competency. George said it was great but I think he was being generous. Anyhow, we sat around afterwards and had a few drinks while we watched TV. Ocean's Eleven was on."

"That movie with Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon all together?"

"That's the one."

Katie clinked her glass against Alicia's and grinned widely. "Fucking cheers to that."

"Everything was going great, you know. George kept asking all these adorable questions about Muggle stuff in the movie and I was trying my best to answer even though I know nothing about casinos and heists. The conversation wasn't as forced as last time and we were snuggled up together without any awkwardness. We just spent a good hour laughing and teasing each other. It was exactly how I imagined a date with George would be. In hindsight, we should have just ended the date there on the sofa and gone our separate ways."

"It's all right, love, finish the story," Katie said, reaching over to squeeze her free hand encouragingly.

"I gradually got bored and stopped following what was going on in the film." Alicia blushed and drained half her glass of wine before she hastily added, "So I climbed onto George's lap and we spent the rest of the movie snogging like horny teenagers."

"Don't be embarrassed!" Katie said bracingly. "It's the twenty-first century now, Leesh. Women are allowed to be sexually aggressive if they want to. Besides, I doubt George was complaining."

"It was great, honestly, but we both realised it wasn't going to be enough so we ended up in my bedroom."

"I don't want to hear the details," Katie said quickly. "Or do I? Wait. No. I have to look George in the eye tomorrow."

"He kept asking me if I was all right and it started to get on my nerves. I didn't want to have to keep stopping to reassure him because it was killing the mood for me. He wouldn't even touch my boobs without checking with me first. I stupidly lost my cool after enduring about ten minutes of non-stop questions like: 'Is this all right?' or 'Does this feel okay?'"

"It sounds like he was being rather sweet to you. He just wanted to make sure you had a better time than the night of the Yule Ball."

"I was having a wonderful time! I just wanted to be shagged though, Katie. He was tiptoeing around so delicately that I kind of ended up shouting at him to get on with it." Alicia winced as she recalled her exact words. "I told him I'd had plenty of sex in my life already and I wasn't going to break apart like a paper doll."

"You said that? You said that _to his face_?"

Alicia nodded morosely. "But I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet. After my stupid proclamation, George stops what he's doing and jumps to his feet. He's suddenly irate and he says, 'By that you mean you've had plenty of sex with Warrington' then he just storms out of the room."

"No!" Katie gasped.

"Yeah! Utter fucking calamity. I followed after him and tried to calm him down but he just said he was sorry and that he had to leave. I let him go because I had no idea what to say or do anyway."

"Have you spoken to him today yet?"

"No. What am I even supposed to say? I need help here!"

"Okay! Calm down and let me think for a minute."

Katie stared off into the middle distance, a contemplative frown on her pretty face. Alicia sighed and refilled her glass. She swirled the wine around idly and stared into its burgundy depths. She'd opened the floodgates now by talking to Katie about what happened. A previously unspoken fear was tickling at the base of her skull.

"What if it isn't going to work out between us? What if we're just not compatible?" Alicia asked softly.

"You're compatible – any idiot can see that!"

"But surely it shouldn't be this hard. Our first attempt at going on a date failed because we got into a fight; our first _actual_ date was mortifyingly bad; then our second date ended with him walking out on me. That's three strikes right there."

"Luckily we play Quidditch, not baseball," Katie said briskly. "You two can't give up on this yet. A few hiccups are normal at the beginning of a relationship. Or so I'm told."

Alicia gulped down some wine then pouted. "I guess I just thought it was going to be easy with George. Like we'd slip straight into the happily ever after portion of our lives."

"You know that happily ever after stuff is bollocks. Don't start comparing your life to romantic books and movies because you'll go insane."

"I can't help it! Everything always turns out perfect!"

"Because a lot of books and movies end right when the protagonists get together! The audience sees their first kiss with the music and the sweeping camera shot then it's fade to black. Same with romance novels. They end right when the couple finally get together and you never know how it works out for them. You never see the hard grind that relationships need."

"But I thought George and I were destined to be together," Alicia said sullenly. "I thought he was the one."

Katie reached out and grasped her arm tightly. "That's the problem right there! You're putting too much pressure on yourself and George. Your expectations are too high."

"Maybe," Alicia said slowly, thoughtfully. "But that still doesn't explain why George was thinking about my shithead ex-boyfriend while I had my hand down his trousers."

Katie rolled her eyes. "Because George is always thinking about _something_. I told you he overthinks everything. In his mind he's got to prove to you that he's not a fumbling sixteen-year-old anymore. Plus, he's got to outdo Warrington, whom you shagged happily for years. Poor boy must have been a bundle of nerves."

Alicia pressed her free hand to her forehead and moaned. "Oh my God. I can't believe I yelled at him. He's not going to want to have anything to do with me after this."

"I think it'll take more than that to put him off you," Katie said dismissively. "But either way, you'd be better off sorting it out with him today, _before_ we all meet up for the interview in the morning. It'll be much less awkward that way."

The bloody interview. Ginny had ended up having to schedule the team interview with Gwendolyn for the very next morning in order for the story to make the July issue of Official Quidditch. At the moment, Alicia would rather eat a Flobberworm than go along to it.

"This is the worst possible timing for something like this to happen. How am I going to face his ex-girlfriend now?"

"Have you bought a copy of her magazine to check her out yet?"

"No. Should I?"

"I think you ought to be prepared, love." Katie put her glass on the coffee table then ducked underneath it to rifle through a box. "I should have an old copy in here somewhere. Oh. Here you go. There's headshots of all the staff inside the front cover."

Alicia reluctantly put down her own glass and accepted the magazine. She flipped it open and skimmed through the photos till she found the one labelled Gwendolyn Hightower. "Oh. Oh, _Christ_." Alicia stomach contorted itself into the shape of a pretzel as George's ex-girlfriend smiled and waved at her. "This can't be for real. She looks like Catherine Zeta-Jones."

"That's exactly what I said!" Katie crowed triumphantly. "The purebloods all gave me blank stares of course. But it's even uncannier because Gwen's also Welsh."

Alicia abruptly dropped the magazine onto her lap as if it had burned her hand. "Please tell me she's an awful bitch and now George hates her."

Katie shook her head. "Gwen is probably one of the nicest people I've ever met. And she really did love George. It's just that she doesn't want to have kids and George does."

"That's it? No big fight or heartbreaking betrayal?"

"Nothing remotely like that. They split amicably a few weeks before their one year anniversary. If their lives hadn't been headed in different directions he'd probably have married her."

Alicia flopped back against the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. So apparently she was the jealous type. This was new. When she had been with Chris there had been a few instances where the green-eyed monster had stirred slightly. Like when one of his past one night stands appeared unexpectedly and wanted another go. Except that during those incidents she had usually been too busy being angry with Chris for fucking half of Paris in the first place.

Then there was that odd incident when he revealed he'd been betrothed to some other pureblood since he was twelve. Alicia had been appalled and she'd assumed it was because such archaic things still went on in those circles, but in hindsight, perhaps there had been a little jealousy mingled in as well.

It felt different with George though. More visceral. Sure, other girls had flirted with him back at school, but he'd usually been too oblivious to pick up on the signals. She had also been well-positioned back then to run interference. She'd lost count of the amount of times she warned other girls off him. In a way, she felt like everyone else was late to the game because she had realised how wonderful he was back in third year. She figured she deserved to be first in line when he finally noticed the opposite sex.

"You look ill," Katie commented lightly and handed her glass of wine back.

Alicia took a long sip then turned to her concerned friend. "I'm all right. I can't think about George anymore though. I need a distraction."

"Well…"

"What's going on?" Alicia prompted, leaning towards her friend eagerly.

"I got an owl from Oliver yesterday," Katie said hesitantly. "After the interview tomorrow he wants me to go spend a few days at his house in the Hebrides."

"Is that good or bad?"

Katie shrugged. "Neither really. It's just new. He's only ever stayed over here for a night at a time. I'm not sure what his offer means so I didn't give him an answer yet."

Alicia tentatively asked, "Would it be so awful if he wanted to take things a little more seriously?"

"Yes. I don't want to settle down with anyone. Life's too short to wake up beside the same man every morning. No offence to you and Ange," she added hastily.

Alicia suspected she knew where Katie's carpe diem attitude was coming from. Everything could be traced back to that cursed necklace that had almost killed her in her final year at Hogwarts. Before then she had been all about finding her Prince Charming and having a big white wedding. For years Alicia had swapped Muggle romance novels back and forth with her only to find her suddenly unwilling to read another one following her stint in St Mungo's.

"Sweetheart. Do you think maybe you've got the wrong mentality here? Perhaps you need to give it a proper shot with Oliver before you dismiss the idea entirely."

"I know what I want in life and it's not a ball and chain," Katie said, the apples of her cheeks turning rosy as she got agitated. "And what about Lee, huh? What am I supposed to do about him?"

"So it's Lee you want to be with then?"

"I never said that."

Alicia bit her tongue and reached for the wine bottle. Katie wasn't the type to ask anyone for life advice; she'd rather fall flat on her face than admit that she was struggling. Alicia decided to save her breath for now. As she was pouring herself more wine, Katie leapt to her feet suddenly and flounced out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"Sod wine. Thanks to you I need chocolate now."

* * *

Alicia surveyed the spread of mystery letters in front of her on the floor. Including the one from the other week, there was now six in total. The whole thing had started eight or nine months ago and Alicia could clearly see the escalation in tone as she re-read the threats in chronological order. It started with a simple 'Give me my money back', through to the latest letter which stated '_I will find you__.__'_

This sadist was taunting her now and she still had no idea how she could have possibly become embroiled in this nightmare. The first couple of letters she simply ignored because she figured it was a case of mistaken identity. The fourth letter had her full name followed by an ominous threat upon her safety if she didn't admit to stealing the money. Even then, the whole thing had been more of an inconvenience for her than a concern. She worked directly under the French Minister for Magic, so she was always surrounded by security and Jake attended the daycare on the same floor at the Ministry. Her flat was in the middle of a Muggle neighbourhood, so it was pretty off the radar, but she'd asked a friend to put a Masking Charm on it just to be safe.

After that, Alicia didn't receive a letter for two whole months, then she found one slid under her door one day after she came home from work. She moved back to England with Jake less than two weeks later. But she couldn't run away again. Aside from the fact that she had nowhere else to go, that wouldn't be fair on Jake or George or Katie and Angelina.

George. Alicia sighed and let her chin drop to her chest. If there was anyone in the world she would trust with her life, it would be him. But he did have a bad habit of rushing head-long into situations. She'd seen it happen again and again back at school. He threw punches or hexes without thinking things through properly. She didn't think this was one of those situations that would be solved with brute force and bravado.

Christopher, on the other hand, could be discreet when he needed to be. He had the means and connections to get to the bottom of something like this without involving the authorities. Too bad he was a monumental prick and he couldn't give two shits about her anymore. If he ever _had_ given two shits about her, which she sometimes doubted.

So, Alicia had just spent a good half hour staring at the letters and was no better off for it. She still had no idea where to turn; she still had no idea what to do. But she had to do _something_. That much was becoming clear.

She'd gone over it so many times in her own head before. It made no sense whichever angle she approached it from. She'd never had any amount of money that would lead someone to think she was some sort of thief. Even when she'd been with Christopher she'd never behaved as if his money had belonged to her. Besides, for most of their time together he'd been penniless and they'd lived together in her tiny studio flat. He'd built most of his wealth towards the end of their relationship and then after they'd split.

Sure, he'd spent money on her occasionally, but it wasn't like she'd ever been dripping in diamonds and fur. The most extravagant things she owned were a couple of designer dresses he'd paid for towards the end of their relationship, back when it had been necessary for him to bribe her to attend black-tie events with him. But those functions had only been attended by Muggles Chris worked with and this whole mess was obviously firmly entrenched in the magical world.

Alicia now had the beginnings of a headache throbbing at her temples. She shouldn't have had all that wine earlier at Katie's. She had to go collect Jake from nursery school in an hour. But, Katie was right, she should probably go see George before that. At this point, she really couldn't handle another complication in her life. She'd grovel and beg if that's what it would take to get him to forgive her.

Some painkillers first though. Alicia swept up the stupid letters and bundled them back into a neat pile to be hidden away in her underwear drawer once again. She was getting to her feet when movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention to the window. A familiar owl swept into the flat and made a beeline for her.

Alicia scowled at it. The creature hooted sharply and proceeded to drop a rolled up newspaper on her head then wheel around and glide back out the window.

"Fuck you, too, Winston," she called after the bird, rubbing at the top of her already sore head.

She didn't know how it was possible, but Christopher's owl was somehow as much of an arsehole as he was. And the feathery little shit apparently hated her just as much as his owner did. Alicia reluctantly retrieved the paper from where it had landed after bouncing off her cranium. She unrolled it and a note fell out.

_You could have at least fucking warned me._

Alicia groaned and tossed it aside. God, what now? Honestly, her life was quickly moving on from calamitous and straight through to irredeemably fucked.

She flicked through the paper, keeping an eye out for anything that would pique Christopher's ire. It smacked her right in the face on page seven. A large photograph of her and George at the Quidditch match on Saturday. Then further down the page, a smaller headshot of Christopher looking dour. Her eyes scanned the article quickly as bile rose in her throat. It was all there. Everyone in Britain would now know that Chris was Jake's father.

The whole piece was largely speculative. The photo of her and George wasn't particularly incriminating. She kept leaning her head on his shoulder and looking up at him adoringly, then pulling back and repeating the move while George smiled. Okay. So it was a little incriminating. But it wasn't like they were snogging or anything. It could be a platonic sort of adoration?

From the angle of the photo, it had to have been taken from one of the general stands in front of the players' box. There was no way either of them could have spotted someone photographing them amongst the crowd of spectators.

Alicia could immediately see why Christopher was pissed off. Rita Skeeter had made a point of mentioning that his father was a known Death Eater. She'd gone on to add that while Chris _probably_ hadn't joined Voldemort's side, that there was no way of knowing for sure. Realising how much he hated being linked to the Death Eaters, Alicia was surprised he hadn't sent her a Howler that screamed and swore in her face.

Like it was her fault that this had happened. She'd probably just ruined her chances with George last night anyway, so the article was moot. Chris could go fuck himself. Rita Skeeter could _definitely_ go fuck herself.

Alicia had officially reached her limit of bullshit for one day. Why couldn't one aspect of her life go right for once? Was this karma getting her back because she had done something wrong at some point? Maybe she'd been an evil dictator in a past life?

Either way, she was over it all. She petulantly flung the newspaper across the room and got to her feet just as her mobile rang. She didn't need to go look at it to know it would be her mother calling. Her parents always received both the morning and evening editions of the Prophet. Her father read it religiously. It was the easiest way for him to access the magical world as a Muggle. He'd recognise the name Weasley even though he had no first-hand knowledge of George.

Alicia could picture her dad coming home from work soon and settling into his armchair with a cup of tea in one hand and the Prophet in the other. He'd likely do a spit-take when he got to page seven. He'd begged her to keep her head down and stay out of trouble after the Battle. Dating someone who'd been in the thick of the fighting back then was not going to go down well with her overprotective father.

Good Godric.

Alicia let the call go through to voicemail then went and switched the phone off. She'd deal with all that later. Right now all she could manage to do was slump through to her bedroom and collapse on her bed. She curled into a ball and lay there staring at the far wall. The feeling of being completely overwhelmed washed over her and she lost herself in a self-indulgent wallow for a while.

Then, when it was time to go pick up Jake, she would suck it up and pull herself together. Just like she'd done after every setback she'd faced in her short life. Because she was a grown woman, a single mum and a Gryffindor; there was no time for self-pity and creeping doubts.

You just get your shit together and keep moving forward.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please take a second to review if you're enjoying the story. In the next chapter I'll be reuniting the whole team. Reviews = motivation = faster updates!


	10. The Dream Team

A/N: Here it is! The team's back together! This reunion idea was a real cornerstone for me when coming up with this fic. I wanted to see these seven characters interacting as adults and I've found very few fics where it happens. I just went ahead and self-indulgently wrote it myself. Oh, and I know it's not technically canon, but I went with Scottish Oliver for this fic, because, well...Scottish Oliver. Enough said, I think.

* * *

When Alicia finally Apparated to Puddlemere's stadium she was running about fifteen minutes late. She was late because she'd wasted a good half an hour trying on every piece of clothing she owned. She had initially wanted to play it cool – just appearing to have thrown on any old thing – then she recalled Gwendolyn's stunning face and she thought she had better step it up a little.

_Then_ she'd remembered that she was attending an interview as a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It wasn't really about her. Or Gwendolyn. Or even George for that matter. Making this charity match a success was the only thing that she should be focussed on.

So she'd settled on jeans (appeasing her vanity with the pair that made her bum look fantastic) and a black tank top. Sporty but a little edgy. Hopefully. Her hair was too long to do much with so she plaited it to the side and let it hang over her shoulder. Her make-up was more overdone than she usually bothered with, but it was a necessity as she hadn't slept well the night before. The last thing she wanted was to look like a zombie in front of everyone.

Alicia began to jog through the silent corridors of the stadium, her new pink trainers squeaking as she followed signs that pointed her towards the pitch. Conducting the interview in a Quidditch stadium seemed like overkill and she seriously wondered if this Gwendolyn was as great at her job as everyone seemed to think.

Before emerging onto the pitch she paused in the players' tunnel briefly to compose herself. And to catch her breath. Shit. She really needed to start exercising if jogging for one minute left her panting.

"Alicia?"

She gasped and slapped her hand over her heart. Harry had just appeared behind her and scared the life out of her. "Harry? Oh, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's running late."

"Had to take care of a few things at work first," he explained. "You all right? You look peaky."

"Do I?" Alicia asked, fanning herself vigorously with her hands. She evidently should have put on another six layers of make-up. "I'm fine. I've been running through the stadium is all."

Harry nodded and sidled past her. "We better get out there or Ginny will have our heads. She's been right cranky lately."

"She's creating a life inside of her body so give her a break."

"You say that now."

Alicia followed Harry out of the tunnel and blinked as the morning sun momentarily blinded her. Once her eyes had adjusted she spotted a group of people congregating by some tables on the edge of the pitch a few feet away. Fiery, sunlit red hair caught her attention and her stomach lurched. This was going to be excruciating.

In the end, Alicia had chickened out of contacting George as Katie had suggested. She hadn't been ready to face up to the reality that maybe George was done with her already. It would have been the final blow on what had already been a terrible day. She could only assume that he knew about the spread in the paper by now.

Her parents definitely knew. They'd shown up at the flat last night after she'd repeatedly ignored their calls. She'd spent close to an hour assuring her father that she was safe, that George wasn't some sort of suicidal vigilante who still chased after Death Eaters.

She had no real way of knowing how George had reacted to finding out their non-existent relationship was being dissected by everyone now. Part of her hadn't wanted to know. She couldn't avoid him now though and she had just realised that Katie was probably the only one who knew about the terrible date on Sunday night. She and George were going to have to act normal around everyone else, lest more people get involved and throw in their two Knuts.

Alicia winced as she saw Ginny come striding over to her and Harry. "There you two are! Where have you been?"

"Catching dark wizards. You know, my _actual_ job," Harry replied blithely.

"Urgh, dark wizards. That's always your excuse," Ginny said. She snatched up an arm each and drew them towards the rest of the group. "We're still waiting on Oliver, too. Nine o'clock means nine o'clock. Can't anyone tell the time anymore?"

"Told you," Harry muttered under his breath, causing Alicia to hide her smile.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Gin."

Alicia's eyes sought out Katie as she stubbornly refused to look for George again. He could seek her out this time. She found Katie standing by a table set up with snacks and coffee so she slipped away from Ginny and went over to join her.

"Morning."

"Morning, love. Coffee?"

"Yes please."

Alicia glanced over her shoulder quickly as her traitorous body ignored her brain's insistence on not looking around. Harry and Ginny had joined Fred and Angelina and the three of them appeared to be trying to calm Ginny down. That meant…

Alicia's heart sank as her eyes settled on George talking to a short, dark-haired woman a few feet away from the rest of the team. Gwendolyn. They appeared to be having a rather earnest chat. George's hands were in his pockets and he was leaning his head down towards her; Gwendolyn was smiling and every so often she would reach out and lightly touch his arm.

"Here."

Alicia snapped her head around and accepted the paper cup Katie was holding out. "Thanks."

"Stop staring at them. Eat a donut or something. Keep yourself occupied till Oliver shows up then we can get this over and done with."

Alicia mindlessly picked up a croissant and bit into it roughly. Why was she touching him though? Surely that wasn't normal behaviour between exes. She could count on one hand the incidents of physical contact she'd had with Chris since their break-up. More often than not it had merely been her shoving him aside. There had certainly been no light caresses during hushed conversations.

"Don't make a scene," Katie hissed warningly. "Go sit over there and don't do anything stupid while I make my own coffee."

Alicia tried to plead her innocence but her mouth was full of pastry. She stomped over to a nearby bench. Half of her felt like marching over to drag George away and the rest of her wanted to collapse on the grass and curl up in the foetal position. Instead, she set her coffee cup down by her feet and began to idly pick apart her croissant.

For all she knew Gwendolyn was over there right now offering to have George's baby. This could be their moment of reconciliation as she sat by uselessly and-

Alicia squealed as a strong set of arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind.

"My wee Chaser," Oliver said in her ear, holding her in what felt like a combination hug/headlock.

"My breakfast," she whimpered as her croissant hit the grass between her feet.

"That is _not_ a proper breakfast, lass. Stand up and let me have a look at you."

"Get off me then," she said, wriggling and twisting away from him. She straightened her hair and clothes back into place and belatedly realised everyone was looking over at her. Including George and Gwendolyn.

"It's so good to see you," Oliver enthused as he pulled her in for another hug once she was standing up.

"Good to see you, too," Alicia said tentatively, looking to Katie for help. All she received in reply was an unhelpful shrug.

The Oliver she remembered hadn't been this touchy-feely. Well, unless a match had just been won, then he'd hug and kiss anyone within arm's reach. And it wasn't like they'd ever been close enough to warrant such an exuberant greeting.

"What's going on?" Alicia asked, trying to pull away but failing miserably.

"I just found out I made the Scottish national team," he answered, tightening his grip on her.

"Seriously? That's amazing!"

"Everyone! I'm officially the new Keeper for Scotland!" he shouted over her head.

Alicia heard footsteps approaching and she was finally able to extricate herself as the team came over to congratulate their captain. As everyone hugged and thumped him on the back Alicia looked on and was the happiest she'd been in years. She hadn't been academic or outwardly social back at school, so she'd spent the majority of her time with the people currently huddled in front of her. Being back together with them now was so familiar and comforting.

She let the feeling wash over her and erase the turmoil of the last couple of days. This was pure, unadulterated friendship and love and she needed that right now.

"I knew it! I _told_ you!" Katie said.

Oliver nodded, his cheeks red and his eyes shining brightly. "I thought for sure I'd have to wait a few more years since Duncan McGilvray is such a legendary player. But apparently they wanted to take the team in a younger direction this year so they picked me."

"That's smart play on their part. Scotland needs to shake things up if they're going to be competitive again," said a lilting Welsh accent.

Alicia looked over to see Gwendolyn join their team huddle. She bristled at the intrusion then her mouth fell open as Oliver also pulled Gwendolyn in for another one of his bone-crushing hugs.

"How long's it been, Gwen? Four months at least? You keeping yourself busy?"

"You know me, Ollie, always chasing a story."

_Ollie? _Who the hell was this woman? What the shit was going on?

"Glad to hear it, lass. You want access to the Scottish team, you just let me know, all right."

Gwendolyn smiled prettily and thanked him. Just as Alicia thought she had reached her limit of bewilderment, Gwendolyn turned and tackled Harry in an enthusiastic hug. She reached up and tousled his hair as she said something indecipherable.

The woman had just tousled _Harry Potter's_ hair.

Someone tugged on Alicia's hand insistently. She turned to see George had come up beside her. Thanks to her years of covert perving, she normally had a fairly attuned radar when it came to his whereabouts, but she'd been so preoccupied that she hadn't noticed him till now.

"We need to talk," he said softly.

Great. Alicia nodded and allowed him to draw her a few feet away from the group.

"Gwendolyn seems to get along awfully well with everyone," she blurted inelegantly before he could even bring up the events of Sunday night.

George frowned down at her. "Well she was my girlfriend for almost a year. Obviously she became close with my family and friends."

"She seems to fit in particularly well with the team though," Alicia continued, glancing over in time to see Angelina putting her arm around her apparent replacement.

"Gwen's a…magnetic woman. _Everyone_ gets along with her, all right." George grabbed hold of her shoulders and turned her so her back was to the group. "I didn't drag you over here to talk about Gwen. Well, actually, I guess I kind of did. She pulled me aside for a chat just as you arrived."

Alicia shrugged his hands off her shoulders. "I know. I saw the two of you. What's going on?"

"Gwen just wanted to give me a heads up. This is her first big exclusive and she's under a lot of pressure from her editor to make it a worthwhile front page story. She'd rather stick to Quidditch, but she doesn't have much choice – she's got to ask us all personal questions."

"How personal?" Alicia demanded, crossing her arms defensively.

"Since we're playing Slytherin she's going to have to ask you about Warrington."

"Can't I just say I have no comment on the matter? Isn't that what you do to avoid talking about your private life?"

"I usually change the subject and start promoting the shop. But Gwen just wanted to check with me first to make sure that you wouldn't be offended by her asking in the first place. I told her you could handle whatever was thrown at you."

Alicia sighed. "Great. No matter what I say it will undoubtedly piss Christopher off. I'll try to come up with some vaguely diplomatic answer I suppose."

She turned to walk back over to the group but George grabbed her wrist to stop her. "There's one more thing. Gwen's going to ask about us."

"Us?"

George nodded and rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. "Because of that stupid photo in the Prophet. We should get our stories straight."

Alicia groaned and threw her head back. Like they needed the entire magical population of Britain getting involved in their relationship. Or lack thereof as the case may be.

"I think we should stick to the facts and say that we're just old friends."

"Fine by me," Alicia said briskly.

George hadn't let go of her wrist yet so she didn't try to turn away again. She could tell he wanted to say something else so she waited, scrutinising his face. He shirked away slightly and let go of her.

"I'm sorry about the other night," he said eventually.

Alicia shook her head adamantly. "None of that was your fault. I shouldn't have pushed you the way I did. You were only being attentive and considerate."

"I thought this was going to be easier. But it's not really working out, is it?"

"It hasn't been ideal," Alicia replied noncommittedly. She wasn't going to be the one to torpedo their relationship, but she was also getting sick of being the one always putting herself out there. Grovelling and begging had all seemed well and good last night, but seeing George with his beautiful ex-girlfriend just now had dented her ego and battered her confidence a little.

"I think we should take a step back."

There it was. Coffee and French pastry churned together in Alicia's stomach. "What exactly does that mean?" she asked.

"We can just spend time together for a while. Get to know each other without expectations or pressure."

"No dates then? We'll just be friends spending time together?"

"Right. From there we can see what develops. Does that sound good?"

It sounded fucking awful. But Alicia could feel her headache coming back and all she wanted to do now was get through the interview and go home. "Sounds marvellous," she answered, forcing a smile.

"Great because I'll still need your help at the shop this week. And I'm still happy to help you train if you're comfortable with that."

Being with George whilst not actually being _with_ him sounded like torture. Like being back at school again – so close yet so far. But she had no idea what to say, especially not with their friends standing only feet away. She'd already agreed to help him out while Fred was away and she evidently needed to get back into shape, so there wasn't much else she _could_ say.

"I'm looking forward to working at the shop and I'd still like your help getting back to match fitness."

George gave her a relieved little smile. "So we're okay?"

Okay seemed to sum it up pretty well. Not great, but not awful either. Alicia nodded and said, "We're okay."

They returned to the group to find that the interview process had begun. Gwendolyn had conjured a small round table and some chairs and was currently talking to Harry. She'd talk to Oliver next, then the twins, then lastly the Chasers. They'd end the interview with a few photos.

While Harry was having questions thrown at him, the rest of the team lolled around. Alicia was off to one side sitting on the grass, idly pulling at random blades and enjoying her alone time. She only got about a minute of peace before a shadow fell over her and she shielded her eyes and looked up.

"So how've you been?" Oliver asked, dropping to the grass beside her.

"Great. Never been better," she lied, banking on him not being able to spot her duplicity. Oliver could spot a twig out of place on a broomstick twenty feet away, but he'd never been good with emotional cues. "How about you?" she asked, plastering a weak smile on her face.

"I have nothing to complain about; I'm living my dream life."

Alicia gave him a genuinely affectionate smile this time. "No one deserves it more than you, Oliver. You've been on this path since you were a little boy on a toy broomstick."

He rested his forearms on his knees and regarded her earnestly. "Thanks. What have you been up to? Where has your path led you?"

Alicia cocked her head. Was he being serious? Did he really not know? But of course, Oliver Wood wasn't going to read anything other than Quidditch publications. "I take it you don't read the Daily Prophet?"

"Why would I read that rubbish?"

"Oh God," Alicia muttered and rubbed tiredly at her forehead. "I've got something to tell you then."

"What is it?"

"When I was living in France I was in a relationship with someone…someone you're probably not going to approve of."

Oliver reached over and grasped her knee suddenly. "Hey now, lass, don't talk like that. I don't mind if you fancy women – plenty of female Quidditch players do."

"I'm not a lesbian," she said, shoving his hand away. "I was in a serious relationship with Christopher Warrington for over two years."

It took a second for recognition to dawn, then Oliver's eyes narrowed. "The Slytherin Chaser?"

Alicia nodded. She averted her gaze to the grass between her crossed legs and said, "We split up years ago but, uh, we have a four-year-old son together."

Oliver didn't say anything for a moment, which forced her to look back up into his hazel eyes. He was just staring at her blankly, no emotion discernible on his face. Alicia hadn't anticipated being this nervous about Oliver's reaction. His role in her life was a strange combination of friend, mentor and older brother, so his opinion of her apparently mattered a great deal.

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say," Oliver eventually said, scratching absentmindedly at his jaw.

"Angelina threw a lamp across Katie's bedroom when she found out."

"I don't feel like throwing anything. I'm just surprised, I guess. Aren't you miles out of his league?"

Alicia rolled her eyes. "He's good-looking now, all right. Why does everyone fixate on what he looked like back at school?"

"I wasn't talking about his looks. From what I remember he's a typical cowardly, manipulative, vicious Slytherin," Oliver said, causing Alicia's heart to sink. "You're the exact opposite of all that. But at the end of the day, I trust your judgement. If you chose to be with him then he must have some redeeming qualities. What's your relationship like these days?"

"Pretty shite. We have very little contact with each other these days, so it's not going to get in the way of the match. I promise."

"Glad to hear it. What about your son though? Who will he be cheering for on the day?"

"Probably his dad," Alicia admitted, a small twinge in her chest making her feel melancholic. "Jake loves Quidditch – he gives you a run for your money, actually – so he knows I used to play and he knows all about our team. I'm still just his mum at the end of the day though. He doesn't really think of me as an actual Quidditch player."

"Well we'll have to change that then, won't we?" Oliver said firmly, giving her a bracing smile that eased the ache in her chest. "At least spending time with a fellow Chaser would have kept your skills sharp."

Alicia blushed at that assumption. She and Christopher had indeed thrown the Quaffle around together a fair few times back at the villa in Burgundy, but it always became too competitive and heated. To the point where it usually ended with them snogging frantically amongst rose bushes or grape vines.

"Uh, I'm a little rusty with a Quaffle these days. But I'm going to run drills with the girls as often as we can manage it."

"Good," Oliver said, nodding his approval. He looked her up and down with the detached look of a personal trainer or coach. "Are you at least match fit?"

"Not in the slightest," Alicia said. No point being cagey with Oliver. He'd probably be able to work out her BMI and resting heartrate just by looking at her. "I'm going to work on that as well. George has offered to help me with that bit."

"George?"

"Yeah."

"Right." Oliver ran his hand over his short brown hair and peered over to where George and Ginny were sitting on a bench. "I saw the two of you talking privately earlier. Is this another one of those things I didn't pick up on back at school?"

Alicia grinned, remembering the hard time everyone had given him for not noticing Fred and Angelina's months of blatant flirting. "Don't feel too bad about it. I had a little crush on George for a while but I was very subtle about it. George himself didn't even pick up on it."

"And what about now?"

"Right now things are a little complicated."

"Is it going to disrupt anything?" Oliver asked sternly. "You know how I feel about relationships within the team."

"They throw off the delicate team balance," Alicia recited in a sing-song voice. "Yeah, yeah. Pity you can't take your own advice then."

"Oh. So you know about Katie then?"

"Doesn't everybody?" Alicia asked with a shrug.

"Harry, Ginny and Gwen don't know. Unless we're being too obvious. Are we too obvious?"

"Honestly, I probably wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been looking out for it. You didn't squeeze the life out of Katie like you did when you hugged Angelina and me. You held her delicately and your hands were a little too low on her back."

"Ruddy hell."

"Relax. Just act normal and no one will notice anything."

"Right."

Just as Alicia was contemplating whether she was comfortable asking Oliver about his exact intentions with Katie, Harry came over and said that it was Oliver's turn to be interviewed. He gave a relieved sigh and stood up quickly, making Alicia think that he had been expecting the conversation to turn towards Katie and that he had just dodged a hex.

Harry took Oliver's vacated spot on the grass beside her and leaned back on his hands and turned his face towards the morning sun. They sat in amicable silence for a while. Alicia surveyed him from the corner of her eye. He certainly looked better than how she remembered him before she left for France. She'd spotted him briefly at Remus Lupin's funeral and he had looked gaunt and pale and exhausted.

Harry cracked an eye open and turned to her. "So how are you feeling about this match?"

"Honestly? I'm terrified. How about you?"

"Pretty much the same. If Malfoy gets to the Snitch before me I'll never live it down. Our paths don't cross too much but I do occasionally have to deal with him through our respective Ministry departments."

"You think he'll actually play?" Alicia asked.

Harry shrugged. "Seems likely. The Malfoys are still trying to change their public image."

"And having Draco play in a charity Quidditch match would do wonders for them," Alicia said, not bothering to disguise the bitterness in her voice. "Well, there's nothing to worry about. I can't imagine Malfoy's suddenly become a brilliant Seeker out of nowhere. You'll beat him easily."

"I hope so. Why are _you_ terrified about the match?"

"Because I'm very much out of practice these days."

"I'm sure Oliver's going to take care of that. I bet he's already drawn up a training schedule for us."

Alicia grinned. "Yeah. Complete with a few sessions at the crack of dawn."

"They were the worst," Harry said with a wry shake of his head. "Do you think I'll be able to get out of them considering the job I have?"

"I don't even think he'd let you off if you were the Minister for Magic."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

The mention of Harry's job sent a sudden jolt through Alicia. She desperately needed help – expert help. Luckily enough, she happened to be sitting beside an accomplished Auror.

"Harry, do you think you could do me a favour?" she asked quickly, before she could talk herself out of it.

"Sure."

"Do you know anyone who's good at Masking Charms?"

Harry sat forward and settled his gaze on her. "Masking Charms? What do you need one of those for?"

"It's not for me," she said, sounding unconvincing even to her own ears.

"You sure everything's all right?" Harry asked.

Shit. Alicia had realised her mistake too late. This was Harry Potter, the highly-trained Auror, not the scrawny, wide-eyed kid she'd met at Quidditch training over a decade ago. She kept falling into this same trap of forgetting that things had changed while she'd been away. Time had passed and people had grown and adapted to the new way of the world. Harry was the prime example of that.

He still had the same messy hair and boyish good-looks. His eyes were still the same startling green colour, but they were somehow wiser now. Not that surprising considering everything he had seen and done in his short live. Unfortunately for Alicia, those keen eyes were currently raking over her face, analysing and assessing.

She squirmed under the sharp examination. She should just go ahead and tell him about the letters. He was Harry Potter after all. If anyone could get to the bottom of this, it would be him. But the chances of him not mentioning it to Ron and Ginny were slim to none. Then they'd undoubtedly tell George what had been going on.

"Who's it for then?" Harry asked.

"Uh, my friend. She's having trouble with an ex-boyfriend who won't stop writing to her. She asked me in passing if I knew anyone good at doing Masking Charms."

"Is this ex of hers dangerous?" Harry asked, his eyes never wavering from her face.

Alicia shook her head quickly. "He's just clingy and annoying. Writing her love poems and rubbish like that."

"Right. Well I guess there's a few people in the department who could handle it."

Relief flooded through her. He had believed her story and now all she had to do was pretend to be this non-existent friend when Harry's colleague showed up. The letters would stop then and she could sleep a little easier. Piece of cake.

"But I can probably handle it myself," Harry continued. "I've set up one or two safe houses in my time. I'll come and do the Charm for your friend."

Bollocks. No cake this time. Alicia's stomach dropped and she stammered, "No, no. That's not necessary. You've got a lot going on between work and the baby and now this Quidditch match."

"I don't mind. It won't take long and I could use the practice."

Alicia smiled wanly. She didn't want to argue the point anymore because that would probably be a red flag to Harry. "That's very generous of you. I'm sure my friend will be more than happy to have The Boy Who Lived come and do the Masking Charm for her."

"Great. Send me her details and I'll arrange a time with her."

"Thanks. I owe you one."

Harry shook his head. "No way. I still owe _you_ for showing up when I needed help. I never got a chance to thank you all those years ago because you left so suddenly. So thanks for being there that night."

Alicia swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat. She wanted to say something, but she didn't know what. She had been utterly useless during the Battle so she didn't deserve any praise from Harry. And she hadn't returned to the school that night because she craved any recognition or acclaim. It had simply been the right thing to do.

"You're welcome," she managed to mumble.

Harry gave her a smile and stood up. "I better go rescue George from Ginny's wrath," he said, brushing grass from his trousers. He stooped down to squeeze her shoulder briefly as he walked past.

Alicia was finally left to enjoy the sun and the peace and quiet. Her good mood had been slightly sullied by the mention of the Battle. She watched her friends all laugh and joke around amongst themselves and gradually a smile crept back onto her face. She was lost in a swirl of thoughts when someone else came over a few minutes later. Her heart sank when she looked up at Gwendolyn's bright, Hollywood smile.

"Alicia Spinnet," the woman said cheerfully. "I'd recognise those blue eyes anywhere. How are you?"

"Fine," she replied, forcing what felt her hundredth smile of the day.

Katie had informed her yesterday that Gwendolyn had been a year below her at Hogwarts. Alicia had no memory of her whatsoever. But that wasn't surprising as Gwendolyn was a Hufflepuff, and Alicia had paid little attention to the other houses back at school; she knew the players on the Quidditch teams and some of the more popular students but that was it. One thing she did know was that Gwendolyn must have undergone quite a transformation post-puberty – similar to Chris's. There was no way she could have been that pretty at school and gone under the radar.

"I'm just about ready to speak to you, Katie and Ange."

"Great," Alicia replied, rising to her feet and trying to ignore the annoyance she felt at hearing Gwendolyn use Angelina's nickname.

"I was hoping we could talk in private first though?"

Alicia's mind raced for a moment, trying to come up with some way to get out of this conversation. She could pretend to need the loo? Or fake a heart attack?

Unfortunately, Gwendolyn took Alicia's awkward silence as acquiescence. "Oh, good. I just wanted to let you know that I'm so happy for you and George. He's wonderful, isn't he?"

"The best," Alicia agreed warily. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being led into some sort of trap. But Gwendolyn at least appeared to be genuinely pleased that her ex-boyfriend had moved on.

"Although he did mention things have been a little rocky to start off with," she continued.

Alicia's eyes narrowed. "Oh, he mentioned that did he? That's great."

Gwendolyn threw up an apologetic hand. "I don't mean to pry, of course. But I care about George and I can tell you're really special to him. It'd be awful if things didn't work out for the two of you just because George is the way he is."

Alicia glanced at the woman's small, perfectly manicured hand. Envy spiked through her. Her hands weren't soft and dainty like that; she still had the hands of a Quidditch player even after all these years. "And what way is George?" Alicia asked.

"He's hopeless – in an adorable way, mind you – but hopeless nonetheless. I had to throw myself at him for weeks before he got up the courage to ask me out. I was just about to give up on him. You shouldn't give up on him either. He's not an easy man to work out, but he's worth it."

Alicia _knew_ this. In fact, she'd known it before any other woman. Who the hell was Gwendolyn to try to explain George to her? She'd known him since he was eleven and she'd had an all-encompassing crush on him since he was fourteen. A nasty rebuke was right on the tip of her tongue when she suddenly froze.

Alicia finally realised just in the nick of time that she was being ridiculous and possessive when George wasn't even hers to covet. She swallowed her bitchy comment. The truth was, Alicia only knew the teenage boy George had once been. Gwendolyn was the one with all the experience of dealing with him as a man.

If she truly wanted him she was going to have to swallow her pride right along with her bitchiness and get help from an expert.

"He's trying to pull away from me," Alicia offered tentatively. "What do I do?"

"You don't bloody well let him," Gwendolyn replied fiercely.

"But _how_?"

"I've no doubt you'll work it out yourself. In the meantime, hold on tight and be patient. Everything will work out for the best because you're bright and empathetic and wonderful."

"Thanks," Alicia mumbled after her astonishment had worn off. Seriously. Who the fuck _was_ this woman?

Gwendolyn hooked her arm around Alicia's elbow and bounced on the balls of her feet happily. "Now, shall we get cracking with this interview? I'm so immensely excited to be interviewing you Chasers."

"Us? But surely you've interviewed plenty of real Quidditch stars by now?"

"Of course," the peppy little woman replied offhandedly, dragging Alicia towards the interview table, "but you three are the pinnacle for me. You're the whole reason I'm here."

Gwendolyn had so much exuberance that Alicia felt as if she was being drawn along by a whirling dervish "Wait. What?" she asked stupidly.

"I won't burden you with my life story, but the long and short of it is, I come from a Quidditch obsessed family. My dad and two older brothers are fanatics, but they never encouraged or welcomed my interest in the game. By the time I got to Hogwarts I was used to stifling my passion. Then something happened: I saw the Gryffindor Chasers play together for the first time.

"It was a revelation to me. I mean, you Gryffindors were the dream team back then anyway, but there was something extra special about you three. Suddenly there were these girls my age flying rings around older boys. You were all so fierce and uncompromising; I was awestruck. Suddenly I could see a space for myself in a sport I'd always been told was better left to men. I actually tried out for the Hufflepuff team in my fourth year."

"Why didn't you make it?" Alicia asked.

"Oh. Well, it turns out I have rubbish coordination and balance." Gwendolyn waved her hand dismissively. "That's fine though. I committed myself instead to studying the ins and outs of the game and here I am today. The gender imbalance in the British and Irish League and at Hogwarts is still a huge issue, but I write a regular column in the magazine that focuses on women in Quidditch. I'd love to feature you one day. I've already done Ange, Katie and Ginny."

Alicia couldn't speak. She didn't know what to say. But she understood now; she got why everyone liked this woman. Hell, even she wanted to be best friends with Gwendolyn Hightower.

* * *

A/N: Righto, here's the part where I beg for reviews. I have some good motivation this time. If you want to see this tension between George and Alicia reach a (literal) climax then please leave a quick review for me. The rating will be going up as of the next chapter, FYI. Furthermore, the chapter's totally locked and loaded. I've already re-read it a few dozen times because I really love it, so it's edited and fit to be posted whenever I'm so inclined. You want it ASAP, then let me know! Thanks, lovelies!


	11. Delicious Chocolate Cake

A/N: Note the change in rating now. We've made it to the smutty chapter, people! Please skip if you don't want to read a sex scene. Otherwise, please let me know what you think, as this is the first sex scene I've ever written. Thanks! Enjoy!

* * *

"You sure you don't want one?"

Alicia shook her head. George shrugged and took a large bite from the apple he'd been lightly tossing in the air.

The two of them had just spent a pleasant hour flying around the Burrow and were now sitting by the orchard. Alicia had initially been apprehensive about being back on a broom after a few years, but it actually hadn't taken her long to get back in the rhythm of it. The exhilaration was still there, too. Weaving and darting between apple trees had left her heart pounding and her skin tingling.

"I don't think you're going to have much trouble getting your flying back up to scratch," George said after he'd swallowed his mouthful of apple.

"I thought my flying was pretty good just now," Alicia replied, raising her eyebrows challengingly.

"We both know you can do a lot better than _pretty good_."

Alicia chose not to reply. Her exhilaration was petering out and she was settling back into the draining ennui that she'd been mired in for days now. This…whatever it was with George was equal parts infuriating and exhausting.

She'd worked alongside him at the shop for the past three days and every day she'd felt him edge a little further away from her. At first she'd been encouraged because he kissed her on the cheek every morning, but then Katie had shown up one day to have lunch with them and George had also kissed _her_ on the cheek. So apparently he was just very European now and did that with everyone?

Alicia was left not knowing where she stood and she was loathe to throw herself at him anymore.

It was beginning to feel like some sort of cruel torture he was putting her through. He had to know what he was doing to her as he sat there silently, eyes carefully averted. His hair was windswept and his lips were wet with the juice from the apple. Alicia's eyes trailed to his taut forearms, which were resting on his bent knees. The faded old Weird Sisters shirt he was wearing was stretched tight across his chest and biceps.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Alicia's eyes flicked up to find him no longer avoiding her gaze. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

George cleared his throat awkwardly and tossed what was left of the apple over his shoulder. "Okay. Well, we should probably run a few laps around the orchard or something. That is why we're here, right?"

"If you say so."

"Alicia…"

"No, it's fine," she said, scrambling to her feet. She suddenly had to be somewhere he wasn't. "I just need to use the loo first. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Sure. Bathroom's on the third floor."

Alicia took off back towards the house, trying to keep her stride measured and unhurried. It wasn't easy considering all her body wanted to do was sprint away to safety. It was all becoming too much.

It was one thing to sit behind him in Transfiguration and imagine what it would be like to run her fingers through his hair. It was another thing entirely to sit two feet away from him today knowing that his hair is deceptively soft and fine but not being able to touch it.

She now knew what it felt like to have his hands clutching at her thighs, fingertips digging in to find purchase. Back at school it had all been speculative – the wild imaginings of a teenage girl who read too many romance novels.

Now Alicia knew for a fact what she was missing out on and it made everything worse.

She paused at the backdoor to the house and toed off her trainers before walking through into the kitchen. This was the first time she'd been inside the Burrow and she took a moment to look around. George's parents were away on holiday in Morocco so the house was eerily silent and still.

It was pretty much what she'd expected. Molly Weasley kept her house warm, homely and welcoming. There were knickknacks and photos crammed onto every available surface. Alicia's eyes kept alighting on precious little artefacts that her fingers itched to pick up. She could just imagine the young twins tearing through the house, knocking over countless family heirlooms.

Still, it wasn't a world or a family she was truly a part of so she found the staircase and quickly made her way up to the bathroom. After she'd done her business she stared at herself in the mirror for a while then sighed. She was going to have to tell George she was going home. There was nothing else for it. She'd go for a run around Regent's Park or something later so she wouldn't feel guilty about skipping out on her first training session.

While taking her time on the way back down, Alicia spotted a familiar logo on a door on the second floor. The three large, entwined W's made it clear whose bedroom it had once been. Curiosity and an unwillingness to return to George made her reach out and turn the door handle. She half expected some sort of booby trap, but nothing happened besides the door hinges emitting a jarring squeak.

Once inside the room, she also expected to find chaos and mess and general mayhem, but it was mostly empty. There was two small double beds, one on either side of the room, two bedsides and nothing else. Neither of the twins had stayed there in years obviously and slowly the space must have become just a run of the mill spare room.

Alicia went over to the small window between the beds and threw open the worn, moss green curtains. She could see part of the orchard but she couldn't see the spot where she'd left George. She turned back to the two beds; one had a navy blue blanket, the other a maroon one. Taking an educated guess, she went and sat on the one with the navy blanket.

What the hell was she supposed to do now? Something in the back of her mind was telling her to cut her losses and move on. She'd already made the mistake of wasting time with Christopher when it had been obvious their relationship was no longer working.

But this was _George_, object of her affections for so many years. She wasn't even sure she'd be able to completely detach from him if it came to that. Part of her would always pine away for him. Especially now that she knew what he was capable of. She needed the George who had pressed her up against the wall that morning in the shop. Where the hell had he disappeared to?

Alicia sighed and pulled her feet up on the bed to sit cross-legged. She had very few tricks up her sleeve when it came to men. They had always pursued her without her actually having to do too much seduction in return. That was probably why she was single at twenty-six and had only had one significant relationship in her life. It was time for her to go after what _she_ wanted instead of passively sitting by and accepting the advances of any man who showed an interest.

George was still proving to be somewhat of an enigma, though. Everyone told her that he was prone to overthinking things, but that hadn't been the case that morning in the shop. She was fairly certain he wouldn't have hesitated to shag her against the wall if Derek hadn't shown up. Slowly, she considered the chain of events. He'd been pretty relaxed till she dropped that ultimatum on him.

Alicia sat up a little straighter as recognition dawned and the pieces slotted together in her mind. It was definitely her half-hearted ultimatum that had riled him up. He needed to be pushed first in order to push back. Perhaps it was a twin thing. She'd realised back at school that George was the quieter, less-dominant of the two so it didn't seem too farfetched to conclude that he was used to following someone else's lead. He needed to bounce off someone otherwise he'd just get lost in his own thoughts and insecurities.

Alicia grinned triumphantly and wiggled her hips back and forth in a sort of victory dance. She'd cracked it. She'd cracked _him. _Gwendolyn's words from earlier in the week came back to her suddenly.

_He's not an easy man to work out, but he's worth it._

Now all she had to do was come up with a plan of action. Another ultimatum might do the trick. Hopefully she wouldn't have to resort to starting an argument with him just to get him to admit he wanted to be with her. That seemed a little counter-productive.

"Hi there."

Alicia looked up to find George standing in the doorway. "Hi."

"I think you've taken a wrong turn," he said, stepping into the room fully.

"I found the bathroom okay, but then I spotted the shop logo on this door and I was curious."

"Nosy much?"

"Sorry," she said coyly, sliding her hand over the slightly scratchy blanket beneath her. "I suppose I wanted to see where it all began, where the brilliant George Weasley spent his formative years."

"Well the room's definitely changed since Fred and I lived in it. Smells a lot better for a start," George said, giving her a small smile that filled her with much needed confidence.

"You're sitting on Fred's bed, by the way."

"Oh. The blanket – I just assumed…"

"Hmm. Why am I not surprised to find out you already know my favourite colour? Mum must have switched the blankets around at some point but I always slept in the bed closest to the door. Full disclosure though: I'm fairly sure Fred and Angelina have shagged on that bed."

Alicia wrinkled her nose. "Is there anywhere they haven't shagged at this point?"

"Hopefully not on here," George replied as he sat down on his old bed and regarded her with his head tilted contemplatively. "You all right? You seemed to rush away before."

"I had to use the bathroom," she reminded him lightly.

Unfortunately, he'd shown up before Alicia had been able to formulate a plan so she was going to have to wing it. The idea of having to improvise her way through this made her palms sweaty. Except…

All she really had to do was tell him the truth. If he genuinely cared about her then he wouldn't want to hear how torturous the last few days had been for her.

"Ready to go back downstairs then? I'll go a little easier on you since you seem a bit off."

Alicia shook her head. "I don't want to go back downstairs. I'm just gonna head home I think."

"What? Why?"

"I don't want to be here anymore."

George crossed his arms and she spotted a flash of annoyance in his narrowed eyes. "I brought you here on my _one_ day off this week because you asked for my help."

"Well I don't want your help anymore."

"You what?"

Alicia's heart was beating erratically and distractingly, but she pressed on because she couldn't very well stop now that she'd started the ball rolling. "I don't want your pity or your charity either. Or your friendship more to the point."

"_Excuse me_?"

"You heard me." Alicia slid to the edge of Fred's bed and mirrored his folded arms. "I'm not going to do whatever this is with you anymore. I can't just be friends with you, George. That isn't going to be enough for me. I refuse to wallow away in this weird no-man's-land somewhere between friends and lovers."

"What exactly are you saying? We're done just like that. We never see each other again?" George demanded, his voice taking on a sharp edge that almost had her backing off.

"I can't do this!" Alicia shouted as she hopped to her feet and threw up her arms. "You told me the other day that you wanted all or nothing, but so far you've given me neither of those two options. I can't turn off my feelings, they're too strong, George. I can't be around you if you're only going to hold me at arm's length."

"You agreed to take this slow! You agreed we should just spend time together!" he snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at her. "Why are you changing your mind not even a week later?"

"Because it's too painful! It's reminding me too much of being back at school – and, yeah, I know I brought all that on myself – but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with again."

"But it's not like it was at school. We were barely friends back then. We're spending time alone together today. Isn't that enough for now?"

Alicia shook her head and gave him a sad little smile. "It's nowhere near enough. Listen. You like cake, right? Imagine someone made you the most delicious chocolate cake of all time. Imagine they let you have a tiny slice and it's incredible and you want the whole thing. Now imagine this person sits the cake down in front of you then tells you that you can't have any more of it. So you just sit there in agony because now you've got the taste of it in your mouth and the smell of it in your nostrils but you can't ever take another bite."

George frowned up at her. "Wait. Am I the chocolate cake in this scenario?"

"Yes you're the fucking chocolate cake! Good grief! Is this whole weird mess between us not killing you? Cause I'm barely keeping it together over here."

"I haven't been able to think straight for weeks!" he said, jumping to his feet and coming to stand in front of her. "But we tried the other way. We tried the dating and the kissing and the touching. That didn't exactly end well in case you've forgotten. I'm trying my best here to make this work between us."

Alicia patted him lightly on the chest. "That's just it, Georgie. I don't really think you are."

The shocked look on his face almost shattered her resolve. She side-stepped around him quickly and headed for the door. She grasped the handle with her shaking hand and looked back over her shoulder. "I'm done, okay. I'm not enough of a masochist to keep throwing myself at you when you clearly don't want me."

Alicia turned back around and moved to slip out the door. She wasn't aware of George crossing the room till he reached past her and slammed the door shut before she could exit. She jumped in surprise and spun around to find him right behind her.

"No way are you leaving here thinking I don't want you."

Alicia gasped as he pressed her against the wall and kissed her hungrily. It had worked. For a second she had thought she'd pushed it a little too far, but she'd actually succeeded. George was kissing her so hard that she knew she would end up with swollen lips. He tasted of apples and smelled like grass and broomstick polish. When he slipped his tongue into her mouth she very nearly slid down the wall.

No one was around to interrupt them and neither of them had anywhere else to be, but still there was an urgency that seized both of them. Alicia tugged at the hem of his shirt, intending to pull it over his head.

"No," George muttered against her mouth as he twisted away.

He buried his face in her neck and dragged his lips from below her ear to the curve of her shoulder. He pulled the straps of her vest and bra aside and kissed the newly exposed skin. Alicia's hand went to the waistband of his tracksuit bottoms this time but he was too fast for her. He snatched up her roving hands and pinned them above her head against the wall. He pressed his forehead to hers and when he spoke his voice was so low and so sandpapery that it made her shiver.

"You're really making this a habit," he said, his lips only just out of reach of hers. "Manipulating me into snogging you up against walls, I mean."

"This time there's a bed right there," she pointed out huskily.

"Well spotted."

But he made no move towards it, instead he used one of his large hands to restrain both her wrists together as his other hand trailed down the side of her face and settled on her clothed breast. Alicia bit back a moan and pushed her chest out further. "George, I don't…"

Coherent thought abandoned her as his hand continued its downward journey. He cupped her through her thin yoga leggings. "I honestly didn't mean to make you feel unwanted," he said as he pressed the heel of his hand against her clit, making her rise up onto her toes slightly. "I just didn't know how to go about this."

"I think…it's – oh God. You're doing great right now. Don't stop."

"You realise this isn't going to be drawn out and slow."

"I don't care," she replied breathily as her hips canted forward to grind against his hand. "I just need you."

George gave a guttural sort of groan and released her wrists. His hands went to the hem of her vest and he pulled it over her head in one swift motion and tossed it aside. He placed a few reverent kisses across the swell of her breasts then mouthed his way down her sternum. Now on his knees in front of her, he paused and looked back up for reassurance.

Alicia nodded jerkily and threaded her fingers through his hair. Thankfully that was all the encouragement George needed this time. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her leggings and dragged them slowly down her legs, leaving her underwear in place. She lifted her feet one after the other and he peeled the leggings off, along with her socks.

George sat back on his heels for a moment and looked her up and down slowly. She blushed a little, wishing that she hadn't worn such boring, plain black underwear. She'd dressed for a work out though, not a shag. At least George wasn't bothered, judging by the lopsided smile on his face.

"You're perfect," he said. He reached out and danced his fingers up the back of her calves, stopping to tickle her behind her knees. "I bet you taste perfect, too."

Alicia whimpered softly and tugged at his hair. The thought of his mouth on her made her walls clench fruitlessly around nothing. "George…"

"Next time," he said firmly, returning to his full height in front of her. "I promise you."

His warm, rough hands slipped around her bare waist and he pulled her firmly against him. He finally spun her away from the wall and steered her towards the bed. The back of her knees collided with the edge of the mattress and George let go of her abruptly. She let out a slight squeal as she fell clumsily backwards onto the bed.

George grinned down at her. "That was for comparing me to chocolate cake before."

"I thought that was a great analogy," Alicia huffed, swiping her hair out of her face and bracing herself up on her elbows.

"But once you've had your chocolate cake, what then?" he asked, kicking off his trainers then stooping to pull off his socks, his eyes never leaving hers. "You saying you only want to get your fill this once then you'll move on to something else?"

Alicia shook her head. She watched his movements intently as he reached behind his neck and dragged his shirt over his head in that inexplicably sexy manoeuvre that men can manage because they don't have boobs in the way.

"What about a nice treacle tart for you next? Or apple crumble maybe?" George asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Alicia didn't register his words fully. Her eyes were busy raking over his chest now that she could finally get an unobstructed view. Complete perfection, as she'd suspected. Her gaze flickered briefly to that wretched scar before settling on the trail of auburn coloured hair below his navel.

George was still talking, saying something or other about pudding. She didn't care. He dropped his tracksuit bottoms in one brusque movement then kicked them aside. His boxer briefs were bright red and did nothing to hide the outline of his erection. It made no sense, but this was somehow sexier than if he had just been standing there completely naked.

He stood with his hands on his hips, looking down at her expectantly. "Well? Are you going to answer my question?"

"What?" Alicia asked dully. "I honestly lost track of this conversation a while ago. What were you saying?"

George shook his head and tutted. "And men are the ones always being accused of having a one-track mind?"

Alicia shrugged and smiled, completely unashamed, because really, what was the point of pretending anymore. She extended her hand towards him, wordlessly beckoning him to join her on the bed. The mattress dipped and creaked slightly as George crawled over and hovered above her. He waited, his eyes seeking permission and reassurance again.

By way of answer, Alicia arched her back and reached around to undo her bra. She pulled it slowly down her arms then threw it over the side of the bed. George's eyes glazed over slightly as he took in the sight of her exposed breasts. Alicia stifled a giggle. The masculine fascination with breasts had always baffled her.

She broke his dumbfounded stare by looping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a long, heated kiss. He settled his weight on top of her and Alicia felt the familiar satisfaction roll over her. Sure, she liked being on top occasionally, but she'd always loved feeling a man's body covering her own. George was all hard muscle and velvety skin and she revelled in pushing her fingertips into the ridges of his back.

His tongue plundered her mouth and her body hummed, arching up against him. She was just about at her wit's end when he reached down between them and grabbed hold of her knickers. She obligingly lifted her hips and he slid them down her thighs, leaving her to use her feet to pull them the rest of the way off. She immediately reciprocated by seizing the waistband of his boxer briefs and shoving them down in a fit of sudden fervour.

When George settled back on top of her he grabbed at her hips. "Slide back a little," he coaxed. "You'll be more comfortable."

Alicia shimmied backwards till she felt a pillow under her neck. She smiled and lay back, exulting in the feeling of now being completely naked beneath him. "Well, it only took nine and a half years to get here but we're finally getting our second chance."

"Finally," George echoed.

Alicia could feel his erection pressed hard and heavy against her thigh and she tried to open her legs so she could feel him against her wet and aching centre instead. But he wouldn't budge.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked. "Is this blanket too itchy under you? I can get rid of it if it's bothering you."

Alicia blinked up him. "What? No. The blanket's fine."

"I'm not crushing you at all?"

"Of course not." Alicia swallowed the expletive that was on the tip of her tongue. "Please, George. Don't lose your nerve now. I need you, remember."

"I know. I'm fine."

Except he wasn't fine. His hands ought to be all over her body right now, instead they were still, braced on either side of her. She knew it was her fault; she shouldn't have made the comment about second chances. He was probably thinking about the Yule Ball fiasco right now. Well, she knew of one sure-fire way to get him to stop thinking.

Alicia slid her hand down between them and seized his length in her fist. She gave him one long, steady stroke and watched intently as his eyes fluttered closed and his jaw clenched. "It's just you and me, right here, right now. Nothing else matters," she said softly.

She stroked him a few more times, till his eyes opened and he covered her hand with his. "You better stop that now."

"All right, but if you aren't inside me in the next thirty seconds I might spontaneously combust."

Laughter bubbled out of George's throat and his intense expression cleared. He finally shifted and she was able to open her legs and tilt her hips. His fingers trailed down her thighs then he dipped one inside her wetness quickly. She arched her back and hissed. George beamed down at her, his grin large and boyish and slightly proud. "Seems like you really want me too, huh."

"Only since forever," Alicia said. "Please, George."

He nodded obligingly and withdrew his finger. She looked down between their bodies and watched as he lined himself up. The head of his cock pressed into her and he cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her face up. Blue eyes locked with brown then he slid inside her with one smooth, insistent thrust.

The sensation of being filled made her lose all awareness of the world around her. It was just her and George there for one perfect instant. From the look on his face, he was feeling similarly. She felt him pulse inside her and he groaned and buried his face in her neck.

"George?"

"Just …just hold still for one second."

Alicia didn't move, she didn't even breathe. George panted raggedly into her hair for a few seconds then lifted his head once he had control again.

"Umbridge naked?" she guessed, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand.

He gave her a crooked little smile and nodded. "Almost didn't work this time, though. I don't think I'm going to be able to last for very long."

"I don't care if it's thirty seconds or thirty minutes. Please just start moving now."

George kissed her gently and began to move his hips, thrusting forward slowly but firmly. Alicia moaned into his mouth appreciatively. Once George found his rhythm she lost track of time. She didn't know how many minutes passed; she didn't care. She was lost in the sensation of George filling her and peppering kisses all over her neck and chest.

An electricity was crackling beneath her skin now as she felt her orgasm building. She clung to his biceps, nails digging in to the hard muscle. George sped up and his thrusts became sharper. He gazed down at her with such intensity that she screwed her eyes shut, unable to look at him as she started to sigh and gasp frantically. George suddenly seized hold of her hips and lifted her slightly.

He grabbed hold of her knee next and unwrapped her leg from behind his back. He stretched her leg out to the side and he was able to bury himself even deeper inside of her. Alicia's underused muscles protested but she was at least glad she hadn't lost her flexibility.

When she opened her eyes, George was still staring fixedly at her, a look of unmistakable determination on his face. He shifted her hips again and changed the angle of his thrusts.

"What are you doing?" Alicia asked breathlessly.

"Here, put this under you." George pulled the pillow out from beneath her head and shoved it under her bottom.

Alicia was beyond frustrated when he withdrew almost completely from her. But then he pressed into her again and hit a spot inside her that made her see stars.

"Fuck," she gasped, grabbing a handful of his hair.

"Knew I'd get it eventually," he said triumphantly. He found his pace again, relentless and faultless, hitting the right spot inside of her over and over till she was a whimpering mess beneath him. "I need to see you come. I never got to last time. Please. I want to see you fall apart because of me."

"Oh God, George."

When his hand slid between them and rubbed desperately at her clit she well and truly did fall apart. Her climax, a slow build up till then, suddenly hit her full force. Every muscle in her body seized and she tried to curl in on herself. George held her down though, his thrusts becoming slow and shallow. He told her she was beautiful and perfect as he expertly drew out the long, pulsing tendrils of her orgasm.

Alicia swore and shut her eyes as she clenched needily around his cock. One hand was clutching at his shoulder and the other was still fisted in his hair. She wondered vaguely if she was hurting him, but he didn't protest so she didn't relax her grip.

After what felt like forever, her body relaxed and she came down on the other side of her orgasm, limp and quivering. She lazily pulled him down and clutched his head to her chest as her breathing gradually evened out.

"You all right?" he asked eventually.

"I feel like I could conjure a corporeal Patronus right now," she answered.

George chuckled and lifted his head to look at her. "That was the best thing I've ever seen."

"Did you…"

He shook his head. "Not yet. You almost got me but I became so focussed on watching you that I forgot all about myself for a moment."

She could feel now that he was indeed still hard where he was nestled inside of her. She reached down and gave his bum an encouraging squeeze. "Then you best get to it because I don't want to enjoy the afterglow all alone."

"Should I do a quick contraceptive charm?"

"To be on the safe side I take my potion _and_ the Muggle version these days," Alicia said. She blushed slightly and added, "But given my track record I don't mind if you'd be more comfortable doing one anyway."

"No. I trust you."

A small sentiment, but it meant the world to her at that moment. She grabbed his face and kissed him fiercely. He pulled the pillow out from beneath her hips and tossed it across the room carelessly. He began to move again, slowly at first. Alicia wrapped her arms around his shoulders and opened her mouth to him. His tongue matched thrusts with his cock for a moment and her still-sensitive body quaked a little in response.

George pulled his mouth away and dropped his face to her neck, where he dragged the tip of his tongue over her pulse point. He briefly caught her earlobe between his teeth then groaned her name.

"It's all right, George. You can let go now."

His pace became frantic at her words. His heretofore perfect rhythm faltered and stuttered. Alicia felt the tension in his neck and shoulders increase and she held on tightly, whispering encouraging words in his ear in low, honeyed tones.

"Oh. Fuck."

George gave one last thrust then froze. Alicia wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in as deeply as she could as she felt him throbbing inside of her. The sweet release after weeks of tension and years of uncertainty was inexplicable. She almost sobbed with relief as George mumbled her name over and over again.

She could feel his arms trembling slightly with the effort of holding himself above her so she pressed her hands to his back. He took the hint and lowered himself on top of her gently. She welcomed the weight of him and sighed contentedly. She held him tightly and stroked his sweaty hair for a while.

Eventually she had to kiss his shoulder and lamentably say, "You're getting a little heavy now."

"Sorry."

George rolled off her and flopped onto his back, almost falling off the narrow bed. Alicia stared up at the ceiling feeling suddenly empty and cold. Her moment of bliss was suddenly replaced with the unfounded fear that this had been a one-time thing. Maybe he only needed this one encounter to get her out of his system so he could move on with his life.

"Come here," George said, lifting his arm and beckoning her over with his head.

Alicia gratefully rolled onto her side and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. She threw one of her legs across his stomach and snuggled into his side. They lay there quiet and naked and sated for a while. Alicia idly watched dust particles dancing in the beam of sunlight coming in through the window and listened to George's staccato heartbeat gradually return to normal.

"What does this mean?" she finally asked, her voice croaky and uncertain as it broke the silence.

George's finger stilled where he had been tracing patterns over the thigh currently resting on his abdomen. "What do you want it to mean?"

"You can't answer a question with another question. I asked you first."

"I'm all yours – if you'll have me."

Alicia lifted her head and stared down at him. "For real this time? No doubt or uncertainty? No overthinking and holding back from me?"

"Never again," he vowed. "I'm throwing myself into this one hundred percent."

"Good." She lightly tapped her finger against his forehead. "I'm slowly working you out, George Weasley, but you need to start meeting me halfway."

"I'll do anything to make this work."

"I will, too," she replied. "I can't give you all my time because I have Jake, but whenever I'm not with him I want to be with you. It might be a little tricky at first."

"We'll be fine." George gave her a light kiss then pulled her head back down to his chest. "There's no way I'm giving up the opportunity to shag you over and over again."

Alicia shivered pleasantly at the thought of that. "I think we should consider that our first time and forget that other business ever happened."

"Agreed."

"Can we stay here like this all day?"

"We probably shouldn't. Knowing my luck one of my brothers with show up to de-gnome the garden or something and spot your pink shoes at the door."

"We can go back to my place," she suggested, slowly moving her leg a little lower as the warmth radiating from George's scar became disconcerting.

"We're supposed to be training," he reminded her lightly.

"That seemed like pretty good cardio training to me." She turned her head and pressed a kiss to the centre of his chest causing him to hum and twist her ponytail around his fingers. "I think I could even get myself into a few good yoga positions next time."

George's other hand gripped her thigh in response to that and he exhaled slowly. "Unfortunately sex isn't on the list of pre-approved training exercises Oliver sent me."

"He sent you a _list_?"

"Yep. Along with strict instructions not to let you distract me with your so-called 'feminine charms'."

"Oh. Whoops." Alicia smiled as she felt a laugh rumble through George's chest. He tugged at her hair insistently and she lifted her head. The look in his eye and the smile on his lips made her stomach clench.

"Luckily for you, I've never listened to a word Oliver says and I don't plan on starting now."

* * *

A/N: So what did you think? Do you want to see more or less of that in future chapters? I promise to do my best to accommodate everyone, but you need to review and let me know!


	12. Yule Ball Date

A/N: This short chapter is just a bit of filler before we delve into the plot a little more. It's a cute flashback to Hogwarts, circa Goblet of Fire. It was fun to be writing a scene back at the school. Enjoy!

* * *

Sometimes Alicia really hated being a woman.

Now was one of those times. Her cramps this month were bad enough that all she could do was lie in bed and grit her teeth and groan in frustration.

But George was there at her back, curled around her with one of his large, warm hands on her lower abdomen. He'd come over to her flat because they'd planned to go running in the park. But Alicia's period had hit her hard that morning and exercise was the last thing she felt like doing.

"You sure I can't do anything?" George asked, sweeping her hair aside to kiss the nape of her neck.

Alicia shivered. Their breakthrough at the Burrow had only happened a couple of days ago, so it was still new to be kissed by him and it always sent her stomach swooping. They could be having hot, sweaty sex right now if it wasn't for her reproductive system having a meltdown.

"I'll be fine. Normally my periods are light, but every once in a while I'll have a bad one. It'll ease off in a couple of hours though."

"Do you want me to go so you can have a nap or something?"

"Please stay," Alicia said immediately and twisted so she could roll onto her back to look at him. "Your hand feels lovely on my tummy. I'm too uncomfortable to sleep and I won't be very energetic company, but if you're happy to just lie here with me I'd like you to stay."

"Whatever you want, sweetheart."

Alicia sighed contently and snuggled into his side. "You're the best. I'm sorry we had to miss out on our run."

George shrugged one shoulder. "Oliver will probably care, but I don't."

So far, they'd made plans to train the last two days, but both times had been derailed by sex, which, honestly, wasn't much of a hardship. Still, Alicia knew she had to get her arse moving and get some semblance of fitness back before the match. George never pushed her and it was too tempting to forgo the exercise in favour of losing herself in a glorious orgasm.

She could actually do with some nagging from Oliver right about now, but he was still busy with the Scottish team for another week or so. Katie had wanted to run drills while Angelina was away, but Alicia had stalled her on the flying. Her old Cleansweep wasn't really up to the job, and she was hoping to be able to borrow a broom off someone soon. So, effectively, she had done no training whatsoever for the charity match.

"To be honest, it'll be nice to just lie here for a bit. It's been non-stop with Fred gone."

"You have been working very hard," Alicia agreed. "We can just lie here and talk. I love listening to your voice."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm. Tell me a story or something."

"I might have one," he said after a few seconds of thought. "I've been meaning to tell you about it for a while actually. It's a bit embarrassing though."

Alicia turned her head and grinned at him. "Sounds perfect. Go on."

George cupped her jaw and turned her face back towards the ceiling. "Seriously, I can't look you in the eye while I tell this story."

"I'm very intrigued, but okay." Alicia rolled back onto her side, facing away from him. She pulled his arm tighter around her and pushed his hand up beneath her shirt to cup her belly firmly again. "All right. What's this embarrassing story about then?"

"The Yule Ball. I told you that I asked you to go with me because Fred really wanted me to go and you were the only Gryffindor girl left without a date. That's not entirely true."

"What do you mean?"

"It all started thanks to Jeremy Sanderson."

Alicia half sat up in surprise. "The Ravenclaw in the year above us? The _hot_ Ravenclaw?"

He and Cedric had been widely regarded as the two best-looking boys at the school. Alicia had never had any interaction with Jeremy since he wasn't in her year and he hadn't been involved with Quidditch. She had never been a member of his fan club either, mainly because she'd had her own redhead to silently obsess over at the time. But she remembered Jeremy had been really handsome and well-liked by everyone.

George pulled her back down to the bed. "Just listen to the story and don't judge me too harshly. Remember, I was a hopeless sixteen-year-old boy…"

**18****th**** December 1994**

George was in the library that afternoon. Yeah. The actual library. What's more, he currently had seven or eight books clustered around on the table in front of him. He looked like any other studious swot in there who spent too much time reading and not enough time having fun.

Except George wasn't doing anything related to schoolwork that day. He'd dragged himself to the library because he needed some books on advanced spells he wasn't entirely familiar with. He'd come up with an idea for an apparatus that would allow someone to eavesdrop on a conversation that was happening somewhere else. He wanted to have something practical to demonstrate before he went to Fred with the idea.

But the magic was proving finicky. There were a few different Charms required and some of them were counteracting the others. All the components just wouldn't come together. Hence all the books and the trip to the accursed library.

George looked over his shoulder and found Madam Pince was still watching him suspiciously. He gave her a pleasant wave and smile then turned back to his work. If only he could find a substitute for the –

"Hullo."

George looked up from his dusty book and frowned. It was that Ravenclaw that every girl at the school fancied. Jeremy something-or-other. "Hi," he replied uncertainly.

"Uh…"

"George," he supplied, barely fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

"Right. George. Have you got a minute?"

Not really, he thought. "Sure," was what he said though.

Jeremy pulled out the chair across the table and sat down. He sat there for a moment drumming his fingers on the tabletop till George raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"You're friends with Alicia Spinnet, right?"

George shrugged. He didn't really know how that worked. Was he? Probably. She didn't talk to him all that much though, and they hadn't spent much time together this year thanks to Quidditch being cancelled. "Yeah, I guess you could say we're friends," he answered uncertainly.

"So is it true she doesn't have a date to the Yule Ball yet?"

How was he supposed to know something like that? He wasn't keeping up on the gossip regarding the Ball – he couldn't care less in fact. Girls were constantly chattering about it though. He actually remembered the three Chasers talking about it that morning over breakfast. George had only been half listening, but he recalled Angelina had been teasing Alicia that she'd have to go with Gregory Goyle if she didn't hurry up and find a date.

"Last I heard she didn't have a date."

Jeremy nodded and rubbed his hands together. "Great. That's fab actually. Do you know where I can find her, by any chance?"

George shrugged. "Does it look like I would know her daily schedule?"

"Oh."

"Usually if you find one of the Chasers, you'll find the other two. I don't know where they like to hang out though. Why do you want to find her?"

"To ask her to the Ball, of course."

"_You_ don't have a date?"

Jeremy shook his head, looking a little miffed. "I was supposed to be going home for Christmas. My parents were insisting, but I guess my complaining became too much because they owled me last night and said I could stay at the castle."

"And Alicia's the only decent girl left without a date now?"

"I'd say she's more than decent, but yes. I heard a rumour that she was dateless and I couldn't quite believe it, so I thought I better confirm before I make an arse out of myself."

George had seen her reject a couple of boys already, but she'd probably say yes to Jeremy. Any girl at the school would.

Jeremy slid his chair back and stood up. "Well, thanks for that. Any advice on how I should ask her?"

"Dunno. I suppose using English would be a good start."

Jeremy chuckled. "You're funny, Weasley. All right. I'll see you around. Thanks again."

George nodded to him then lowered his gaze back to his work. What a pointless interruption. Oh well. Back to the grind. He flicked through a few more pages then stopped, turning to gaze out the nearby window. Light snow had started to fall that morning, leaving the grounds now looking like the front picture on the sort of Christmas card his mum would buy.

So Alicia was getting herself a date to the Ball. Good for her. He didn't have a date; he wasn't even planning on going.

Fred was taking Angelina and Lee was taking Valerie, one of the other Gryffindor girls from their year. Both of them were sure they would end up losing their virginity after the Ball and they hadn't stopped going on about it for days. They'd teased him plenty about his lack of a date (and therefore his non-existent chances of getting shagged) but George had just shrugged them off. He didn't particularly care.

But really…good for Alicia. She'd be happy to go with Jeremy what's-his-face. She deserved to go with someone like him. He seemed like a nice enough bloke.

Alicia was nice enough as well. And fairly pretty.

George tapped at his chin and sat back in his chair. If he absolutely had to pick someone to take to the Ball, he'd ask someone just like Alicia. Not Alicia herself obviously. That would be weird.

Wouldn't it?

She'd never gone out of her way much to interact with him outside of Quidditch. She'd occasionally helped him with his Muggle Studies homework over the years, but otherwise they spent virtually no time alone together.

Maybe he ought to make more of an effort with her. He only had a year and a half left at school with her and he felt like he barely knew her. It'd be nice to get to know her better. She was quite pretty.

Something registered vaguely in the back of his mind. She had blue eyes. And slight dimples on her cheeks. And she was quite smart, always doing well in class. She was definitely one of the best Quidditch players in the school.

Alicia was really pretty, he realised.

What a lucky guy that Jeremy was. Lucky, lucky guy. Maybe George would be able to get a girl like that himself one day. Just not Alicia, because she was taken now. Except that she really wasn't…yet.

"Weasley! If you are not using those books you must return them to their rightful places immediately so other students may make use of them!"

"Sorry," George muttered, lurching to his feet. "I'm done with them, Madam Pince, but I'm afraid I don't have time to put them away. I have something I really need to do right now."

"Don't you dare move a muscle, Weasley!"

But George was already jogging out of the library, wracking his brain. He had to get to Alicia first. He had to ask her to the Ball before Jeremy could. How could he not know where she could be? The Marauder's Map, he thought suddenly. But he'd have to go all the way back to Gryffindor Tower to get it from Harry's room. That would take a good ten minutes even if he ran the whole way.

Fucking hell. Why had he even told Jeremy that she was dateless? Why couldn't he have realised he wanted to ask her fifteen minutes ago? Then he could have told that git that she was going with someone then he'd be free to ask her himself without the need to rush.

Because, deep down, for some inexplicable reason, George had a feeling Alicia might say yes to him if he got to her before Jeremy. He thought Alicia might actually be happy to go to the Yule Ball with him. He could even picture the smile on her beautiful face.

So he had to find her first. Right. It was snowing outside and she always complained at Quidditch practice when it got too cold. She wouldn't be outside then. She was never the type to be cooped up in the common room either.

Alicia had to be somewhere else in the castle. He'd known her for years! How could he not know what she liked to do besides Quidditch? Fred was always telling him that it was time to start paying attention to girls, before all the good ones were taken. Well, he was paying attention now. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

It was almost lunchtime; maybe she was already in the Hall with the other two. Perhaps he could just go there and wait for her to show up and hope Jeremy hadn't found her in the meantime. But he really, really wanted to get to her first. He couldn't quite pinpoint why, mostly because there was a lot of adrenaline and hormones surging through his body right now. But he wanted to be the one to dance with her at the Ball. To touch her waist, maybe kiss her a bit. The idea of having to watch her do all that with Jeremy made his stomach clench.

Fuck! Okay. Think!

He was probably better off just going back to the Tower to grab the Map. George stopped in his tracks and spun around…and ran right into Lee and Valerie coming out of an empty classroom. They'd just finished quite the snogging session, judging by Lee's wide grin and Valerie's pink cheeks.

"Oi, watch where you're going," Lee snapped, putting a protective arm around Valerie's waist.

"Sorry. Have either of you seen Alicia since breakfast?"

"No. Why?"

"I need to speak to her. Urgently," George added bouncing from foot to foot impatiently.

"About what?" Valerie asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"I think I know, Val. You're gonna ask her, aren't you?" Lee nodded slyly to himself. "Yeah. You're finally gonna ask her. Talk about leaving it till the last minute."

"Don't look so fucking smug. Help me find her."

"Well, it's Saturday morning so she's probably at her book club meeting still," Lee answered.

"Wait, what? Since when is there a book club at Hogwarts? Has everyone been hiding this from Fred and me? Because we wouldn't prank them…much. Oh, look, never mind. How do you even know for sure Alicia's in it?"

"Because I actually _talk_ to her, you tosser. I don't know where the club meets though. Val, my sweet? You feel like helping out a clueless git today?"

George gave her what he hoped was his most desperate, pleading look. It must have worked because she shrugged. "Okay. I feel like I'm still missing something here though. They're meeting in the Transfiguration classroom. I'd be there now as well but I got a better offer."

"Thanks!" George clapped Lee on the shoulder. "I'll see you at lunch and let you know what happens."

"You better hurry though. They'll be finishing up right about now," Valerie said.

George rushed off down the corridor and heard Valerie's voice in the distance ask, "Hang on. Was that Fred or George?"

She'd only been his housemate for over six years now, but whatever. George had more important things to concern himself with. Like getting to the Transfiguration classroom aaaaalll the way on the other side of the castle. Luckily, thanks to a few old friends, he happened to know of a few shortcuts.

When he finally ducked out from behind a tapestry and emerged into the right corridor, he was dismayed to find it empty and silent. He paused for a second to catch his breath. As he was bent forward, hands braced on his knees, he once again lamented the absence of Quidditch. His fitness had gone to shite without an incentive to exercise.

Jeremy had probably beaten him to it anyway. A club based around reading was right up a Ravenclaw's alley; one of his housemates would have undoubtedly told him Alicia would be there.

So it appeared he'd missed the meeting of this so-called club (it sounded boring as hell to him), but he went down to look into the classroom anyway. In the end, he almost didn't spot her. She was on one of the desks in the far corner, lying on her back with her legs hanging down over the edge. Her brown hair was fanned out around her head and she was reading a book she was holding suspended above her head.

He didn't want to startle her too much, so he cleared his throat from the doorway before he entered. She sat up abruptly, then slid off the desk and dropped her book all in the one motion.

"George? What are you doing here?"

Something deep down inside of him throbbed (his soul or his awakening libido – he wasn't sure which) and he fervently wanted to kiss her at that moment. Alicia somehow always knew when it was him. She never had trouble telling him and Fred apart and he'd never appreciated that small, simple gesture till now. She'd been doing it for years; she could do it from the other end of the Quidditch pitch, for Merlin's sake.

George realised he'd just been standing there staring at her lips like a prat, so he stepped into the room and walked towards her.

"I just found out about this spiffing little club of yours and I really want to join."

Alicia snorted and retrieved her dropped book. "Yeah right. What are you really doing here?"

George smirked at her instant dismissal of him. "I came to find you actually. I need to ask you something."

"What?" she asked, her voice lowered to barely above a whisper as she sat back down on the desk.

George settled onto the desk across the aisle from her. "Do you want to – I mean, would you like to go to the Ball?" She frowned uncertainly and he quickly added, "With me. As my Yule Ball date."

Alicia clutched her book to her chest like it was a protective talisman. Her eyes were big and watery. "Is this some sort of prank you're pulling on me?"

"No. Why would I pull a prank on you? I'm serious. Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"But I don't understand."

"What's there to understand? I need a date and I heard this morning that you happen to be dateless as well. We can go together. It actually makes sense if you think about it."

"Oh. So we'll be going as friends."

George grinned at her. "If that's what you want. I personally wouldn't say no to a snog or two."

Alicia turned a pretty shade of pink and looked down at her feet. She seemed to blush and look away a lot when he spoke to her. He just figured she was shy around boys.

"You promise this isn't a joke?" she asked.

"I promise."

"And you won't change your mind if a better girl comes along and asks you?"

George shook his head adamantly. He hopped off the desk and stood in front of her. He could have easily leaned in a bit further and kissed her, but he had only done it a couple of times so far and he wasn't at all confident in his technique. He settled for touching her hair, brushing it back over her shoulder.

"I promise I won't change my mind. You'll be stuck with me for the whole night. That is, if you're going to say yes…"

"Yes!" she blurted. She laughed, the sound tumbling out of her mouth seemingly unbidden. "That would be lovely. You have no idea, actually. God. This is crazy."

George wasn't sure what she was talking about. All he felt at that moment was relief. And that insistent throb was still lingering.

"It's almost lunchtime. We should get down to the Hall," he said.

"This is _crazy_," she repeated, pressing the back of one hand to her flaming cheek. "I think I need a few minutes to myself. I'll finish this chapter then come down."

"No problem. I'll see you there." George gave her one last contemplative look, then headed for the door.

"George?"

He paused at the threshold and peered over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you asked me to the Ball."

"So am I." He smiled at her and threw in a wink for good measure. That was something people did when they fancied someone, right? Or was it considered too pervy? This was evidently going to be a steep learning curve for him.

Out in the empty corridor, he let out a relieved breath. He'd done it. He'd even managed to do it without coming off as too much of an inexperienced fool, which was even better.

Wait till he told Fred.

With that thought in mind, George started off down the corridor. Around the corner he came face-to-face with Jeremy the Ravenclaw.

"Weasley! Good to see you…again?"

"Yeah, it's George again."

"I thought so, but you know how it is. You wouldn't happen to know if Alicia's still in the Transfiguration classroom, would you?"

"Yeah, she's in there reading."

"Perfect. Then here goes nothing!"

George put a retraining hand on Jeremy's shoulder. "Listen, mate, you might want to save your breath. It actually turns out she's got a date."

"Oh, bugger. Who's she going with?"

"Me," George answered gleefully. He sidestepped quickly around the stunned seventh year and took off at a trot down the corridor.

"Oi! What the fuck, Weasley!"

**Present day**

"So there you have it. I obviously had to avoid Sanderson for the rest of the school year."

Alicia rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "I still can't believe Jeremy Sanderson was going to ask _me_ to the Yule Ball. What a shame. I remember he had the dreamiest hazel eyes and that lovely curly hair that every girl wanted to run her fingers through."

"Yeah, yeah," George huffed.

Alicia giggled and turned her head to kiss him on the cheek. "Just kidding. You know I only ever wanted to go to the Ball with you, Georgie."

"You wouldn't have said yes to Jeremy if he'd beaten me there?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "Angelina had been hounding me all week and I was kind of over the whole idea of going alone. Going with him might have been a little intense though. Lots of other girls would have been out to get me. I don't think I'd have had the stomach for all that attention back then."

"I suppose we'll never know then."

The revelation that George had fancied her _before_ the Ball made Alicia's body hum with pleasure. She had always thought that it was the snogging and shagging that had attracted him to her. Because of the sequence of events, she assumed his horny teenage brain would have latched onto whichever girl he was with that night. To think that he had run all the way across the castle because he wanted to go to the Ball with her specifically! It was an intoxicating feeling; even better than finding out a fit seventh year boy had planned on asking her as well.

Alicia rolled over to face him again. "I don't get why you're so embarrassed by that story though. I thought it was really sweet."

"But I only realised I wanted you when there was a chance someone else might have you. Isn't that a little fucked up and possessive? Like, why couldn't I have worked it out on my own without Jeremy the Bland having to get involved?"

"I suppose you were just a late bloomer like you said. Maybe you needed that caveman instinct to kick in first to then get your teenage boy hormones going?"

George reached out and brushed his fingertips along her cheekbone. "Maybe. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long. Then it mightn't have been so intense. I would've had control of myself and our first date and first shag wouldn't have happened on the same night."

Alicia grabbed his hand and held it to her cheek. "Stop acting as though I wasn't a willing participant that night. I wasn't exactly in control of my hormones either. And by the sound of it we need to be grateful for Lee's insatiable teenage hormones as well. There's no way you'd have found me in time without bumping into him and Val first."

"Not to mention I wouldn't have made it across the castle that quickly if it weren't for James Potter and his crew of bad-arse rule breakers."

Alicia's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Huh? What does Harry's dad have to do with it?"

George grinned and pressed his hand back to her stomach. "That'll be my next story for you then, my lovely. And what a hell of a story it is…"

* * *

A/N: So now that Alicia and George are officially together, we move onto what I consider to be part two of the story line. Thanks for all the follows, they've spurred me on to keep going.


	13. Order Of Merlin

"But what is the _point_ of it?"

Alicia squinted at the old man in front of her. Then she looked down at the fake wand in her hand. "Uh…I suppose it doesn't really have a point, sir."

"Then why should I give you a Galleon for it, hmm?"

Alicia rolled her eyes and tossed the wand back into the box with the others. "Then don't buy it. See if I care."

She turned away from the old man and his scowling wife and almost walked right into George. She winced and felt her face and chest burn with embarrassment.

"Sorry, boss," she mumbled.

"I thought you were exaggerating at first, but you really are complete shite at this," he said jovially. He put his arm around her waist and drew her towards the back of the store. He waved at Derek and Patrick and told them to take care of things on their own for an hour.

"I really am sorry," Alicia repeated as they stepped into the storeroom and she began unbuttoning her robes. "It's just that old man had been asking me dumb questions for ten minutes already. He wanted to know the point of every product. He refused to buy anything if it didn't have a distinct purpose. I should have asked him the point of his stupid moustache."

George pulled her robes off her shoulders and hung them on one of the hooks. He shrugged and said, "Maybe his wife likes the way his whiskers tickle the inside of her thighs."

"Gross! And they're in their sixties so I highly doubt they do that anymore."

"I'll still be going down on you when we're sixty," George said huskily, ducking his head to kiss the spot on her neck just below her ear. "Seventy even."

A pleasant shudder ran the length of Alicia's spine. That was the first time he'd said something like that. Something that acknowledged their future together. It made her stomach flutter a little to hear that he really thought they'd be together for another thirty or forty years.

"We going back to your place?"

"I ran into Ginny and Harry outside and I said we'd meet them for lunch in the 'Sticks. That okay, love?"

Alicia let out a slightly shaky breath and stepped back. She'd been looking forward to some private time with him. "It's fine. Let's go then."

George took her hand and they walked out of the storeroom together. She wasn't surprised to see the cross old man leaving the store ahead of them empty handed. Just when she thought she was getting the hang of being a salesperson, she let her temper and indifference get the better of her again.

"I think it might be for the best if you don't keep me on after Fred gets back next week," Alicia said tentatively.

"Nope," he said firmly. "You're already a valued employee of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Miss Spinnet. For the record though, our products are meant to be fun. _That's_ the only point of them. A fake wand isn't meant to do anything other than put a smile on someone's face. It doesn't have to do anything other than that to be worthwhile. Can you really put a price on happiness?" he asked, exaggerating his charming salesman voice.

"Bollocks. Why didn't I think of saying something like that?" Alicia sighed and rested her head against George's shoulder as they emerged into the bright summer sunshine and joined the crowd of tourists in Hogsmeade. "How come you can sell ice to Eskimos, but I can't even sell a measly fake wand to someone?"

"Patience, my dear. I know you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

Alicia doubted that very much but she held her tongue. George always saw the best in her no matter what. It was a lot to live up to; it was simultaneously uplifting and daunting.

"How are your parents?" she asked, changing the subject swiftly.

"They're good. A bit sunburnt but otherwise fine."

Alicia had agreed to work at the last minute so George could have the morning off to spruce up the Burrow a little and be there when his parents returned from their holiday.

"Do they know about us yet?"

"Mum could tell something was up apparently. Said I looked different – happier – and she worked out I was seeing somebody. I ended up telling her about you. I hope that's all right."

"Of course. My parents know we're together so it's only fair that yours know as well. Besides, I'm sure someone would have let it slip eventually and it was probably better coming from you. Did she ask many questions about me?"

"Only about a hundred, so really not many considering it's my mum we're talking about."

Alicia frowned as they stepped into the bustling pub. "Did you tell her everything though? Warrington and all?"

"I had to. It was only a matter of time before someone mentioned the Prophet article to her. It was better she hear the truth from me."

"Which is?" Alicia prompted.

"That Warrington's a proper bell-end, but he's not a Death Eater."

She gave his hand a grateful squeeze upon hearing that. It felt like they really were making progress. If only Christopher would start making some concessions of his own, but he was still keeping his distance from her.

"There they are," George said, pointing towards a table in the corner where Ginny and Harry were sticking out like sore thumbs thanks to their respective infamous hair.

They made their way over and joined the other couple. Alicia realised this would kind of be their first double date. She'd have thought for sure that would have happened with Fred and Angelina, but they were still sipping cocktails on the Amalfi Coast.

"Look at you two love-birds," Ginny cooed as they sat down at the table.

"Shut it. You're as bad as mum," George sighed.

"What brings you two all the way up here in the middle of the week?" Alicia asked, smiling pleasantly at the young couple in front of her.

"We were meeting with McGonagall to discuss holding the charity match at the school," Harry answered. "She gave us permission to use the stadium on the weekend before the students return."

"Shit," Alicia muttered to herself. She looked up quickly and amended, "Not shit that we're playing at the school. This means I've only got a month to get back to match fitness."

"You'll be fine," George said firmly. Beneath the table he slid his hand over her leg, squeezing her thigh comfortingly.

It had taken Alicia a while to get used to how tactile George was. He was always touching her somewhere. That wasn't something she'd been used to with anyone else, especially Chris. It was quickly becoming the norm for her now and she already found herself feeling bereft whenever George wasn't touching her.

"Butterbeers all around?" Harry asked, getting to his feet. Everyone murmured their assent and he disappeared off towards the bar.

"I received something this morning that I think you'll be interested in," Ginny said. She stood up briefly and pulled a folded piece of parchment from her back pocket. "Flint sent me the final team list for the Slytherins."

Alicia snatched the piece of parchment rather more forcefully than she meant to. George leaned closer so he could read along with her. As her eyes scanned down the list, her frown deepened. Bletchley, Flint, Montague, Pucey, Derrick, Bole, Malfoy.

"Wait. Warrington's not playing?" George asked, voicing the question currently bouncing around Alicia's own mind.

"Apparently not. But why?"

Alicia looked up into Ginny's curious brown eyes and shrugged one of her shoulders. "I haven't spoken to him in weeks. I thought for sure he'd want to play though."

Chris loved Quidditch and he was really good at it. Prior to being disinherited, he'd played with a bunch of acquaintances every week in Burgundy. Alicia had obviously never been invited to join in. Being half-blood and possessing a uterus didn't work in her favour there, never mind the fact that she would have flown rings around all of them.

All things considered, Alicia couldn't see any scenario in which Chris would turn down the opportunity to play in a proper match one more time.

George hummed thoughtfully and straightened back up. "I'm obviously no fan of the bloke, but Warrington's a much better player than Pucey. What was Flint thinking?"

"I doubt he _was_ thinking when he picked the team," Harry said, returning with a jug of Butterbeer and a stack of glasses. "Flint's a walking advertisement for why inbreeding is a bad idea. Can't really second guess someone who barely has two brain cells to rub together."

"So you have learnt something from all your years spent with Ronald," George said, grinning devilishly as he accepted a glass from Harry.

Alicia defended the absent Weasley by elbowing George in the side. She folded the parchment back up and handed it to Ginny. "Well, that's still a strong team they're bringing to the table, regardless of one Chaser being overlooked."

Harry nodded and passed her a drink. "But we'll be pretty evenly matched. We have Oliver and Angelina and they have Bletchley and Montague."

Alicia recalled that Bletchley currently played for the Tornadoes and Montague had been with the Falcons since graduating. Each team had a professional Keeper and Chaser in their line-up. At this stage Alicia could only hope and pray that she wasn't going to prove to be the weakest link for the Gryffindors.

A waitress came over and took their lunch orders and Alicia let her worries melt away as she leaned against George and listened to Harry recount some of the recent happenings at the Ministry. Apparently there had been a push to make May 2nd a public holiday to recognise the sacrifices made during the Battle.

"It's down to a vote with the Wizengamot," Harry explained. "From what I hear, they're going to approve the motion."

Alicia stared down into her lap and cleared her throat awkwardly. She didn't want to contribute to any conversation regarding the Battle. Especially not in front of Harry.

"Hermione's been campaigning the hardest of course," Ginny added. "If this passes it'll be mostly thanks to her working day and night to have the day officially recognised."

"That doesn't surprise me one bit," George said. "But I think it ultimately makes sense to have everyone stop and acknowledge what happened. I mean, there's always the remembrance ceremony every year, but it'd be nice if families could spend the day together as well."

"Wait," Ginny said suddenly, reaching across and slapping her hand on the table right in front of Alicia. "You never received your Order of Merlin!"

Alicia blinked up at the younger witch. A surge of surprise and panic made her extremities tingle. "What are you talking about?" she said softly.

"Your Order of Merlin!" Ginny repeated, her eyes widening. "Everyone who was at the Battle got one but you were out of the country."

"You should have received a letter from the Ministry about it years ago. I'm sure your name was on the list," Harry said, frowning at her slightly.

Alicia didn't immediately reply. Mainly because she couldn't think of what to say to end the conversation. She could actually remember receiving the letter clearly. The owl had arrived when she'd been sitting with Chris on the roof of her block of flats in Paris. It had completely thrown her for a loop; she hadn't thought about the war in months and suddenly she was being invited back to London to receive a medal she didn't even deserve.

She'd had a mini meltdown upon reading the letter and Chris had been startled and confused and unsure of what to even do. In her moment of vulnerability she'd told him about what had happened to her during the Battle. It was all very stupid and embarrassing now, considering she'd hardly known him at that point and all they'd been doing was shagging occasionally. But that was just testament to how badly the whole thing had upset her.

It still did evidently. Her chest felt tight and her stomach was hollow. She reached for George's hand, the one still on her leg, and she squeezed it, knowing that she was likely crushing his fingers, but needing to ground herself.

"There was a new sub-class created just for participants of the Battle, but you'd be entitled to an O.M second class. Right?" Ginny asked, turning to Harry for confirmation.

"No, I don't-"

"Right," Harry agreed, cutting Alicia off as he readjusted his glasses smoothly. "Since you were also in Dumbledore's Army you'll be awarded a second class."

"I don't want any class of O.M," Alicia said, her voice finding some conviction as she imagined how that ceremony would go. It'd end up in the papers and someone would start digging and it would be revealed that she had effectively been unconscious for the entirety of the fight. She deserved it about as much as someone who was wrapped up safe and warm in their bed that night.

"Everyone else got theirs in one big ceremony, even if it was awarded posthumously. Even George here got a first class since he was also in the Order." Ginny turned kind eyes towards Alicia. "You deserve to have your moment as well. We can be low-key about it if that's what's worrying you."

"I just don't want it at all," she replied, softening her tone a little because Ginny really did seem to be upset that she never got her medal. "I didn't…do what I did to get some sort of recognition."

"None of us did but-"

"Look, Gin, you can't force an Order of Merlin on someone," George interrupted. "If Alicia says she doesn't want the thing then that's up to her."

He'd turned his hand over and hadn't even flinched as she tightened her grip. Alicia took a deep breath then gave Ginny and Harry a placating smile. "Look, I'd rather not have the attention, all right. That sort of thing doesn't sit well with me and I've already had plenty lately, not to mention what's coming my way thanks to this match."

"It's up to you," Harry said, "but if you ever change your mind just let Hermione or myself know and we'll get the paperwork organised. I really think you should receive what you're owed."

"No one owes me anything."

The nightmarish conversation finally ended when their lunch arrived. Alicia began shovelling shepherd's pie into her mouth immediately, hoping everyone would take the hint that she was done talking. Ginny thankfully started telling them about their morning meeting with McGonagall.

"Yeah, she's even agreed to let us use the Great Hall to hold a feast after the match ends," Harry added.

Alicia realised then that she hadn't even been back inside Hogwarts since the Battle. She knew that the Hall was where Voldemort had died and she internally questioned the logic of holding a celebratory feast back in the place where so many had suffered. But she supposed life had to continue. Hogwarts still had to function as a school and people had to move on with their lives. She would probably be one of the few participants of the Battle who hadn't been there to help with the clean-up and repairs.

"Are we going to use the stadium at extra capacity?" George asked.

Ginny nodded and stabbed heartily at one of her chips. "Yep. McGonagall's going to open it up to the full five thousand seats."

"_Five thousand_," Alicia repeated, flabbergasted. The stadium only held just over a thousand spectators last time she checked.

"You haven't seen the new stadium up close yet," George told her. "It was going to be rebuilt to the old specifications because that was all the budget allowed, but the school received a large enough donation that they were able to include some modifications. The stands are now sturdy enough that they can be magically extended whenever needed."

"It was actually Tiberius Ogden who donated the extra money," Harry said. "You used to work for him, right?"

"Years and years ago," Alicia said, a lump rising in her throat. She was ashamed that she hadn't thought about Tiberius in a long time. After their work in France had concluded he'd retired to some small island in the Caribbean where his family owned a cottage by the beach. He planned to live out the remainder of his days there in seclusion and peace.

"Could you get in touch with him somehow?" Ginny asked. "It'd be fitting for him to be at the match, considering it was the Ogden family who paid for the stadium to be rebuilt."

"I can give it a try. His house is masked and unplottable, but he gave me the address of an owl post office that he visits every week or so. I'm sure I still have the information at home somewhere."

"Thanks." Ginny sighed contentedly and folded her arms on the table in front of her. "Everything's coming together nicely. I even heard back from Lee yesterday and he says he's going to take some time off so he can be back to commentate the match."

Alicia jerked in surprise, her melancholy forgotten for the moment. "Lee's coming back?" she asked, turning to share an apprehensive look with George.

"Yeah. I thought it would be amazing if he commentated again. Plus, he's agreed to mention the match on his radio show so I scored some free publicity there."

Harry was narrowing his eyes across the table. "Why do you two look so put off? Isn't it good if Lee comes back for the match?"

"Katie's going to have a nervous breakdown," George said to Alicia under his breath.

"And Angelina's going to be so smug about it all."

"Oi. No whispering amongst yourselves at the table. What's going on?" Ginny demanded.

"Katie and Lee have a…thing going on," George answered. "They hook up whenever he's back home."

"But I thought Katie was with Oliver."

Alicia's eyes slid over to Harry. "Wait. How do you know that?"

"I thought everyone knew," he said with a casual shrug. "It was pretty obvious after I saw them together at the interview. Being perceptive happens to be a part of my job, you know."

Since there was no point being cagey anymore, Alicia quickly explained the situation between Katie, Oliver and Lee, and even as she spoke her stomach turned over in anticipation of them all being in the one place. Oliver liked to play it cool and pretend like he and Katie weren't doing anything. Lee was less likely to be discreet and keep his hands to himself. If Oliver saw something…

Ginny groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "Oh no. What have I done? I'm going to have to go and speak to Katie today and let her know Lee's going to be here in a couple of weeks. She's going to hate me!"

"She won't hate you, Gin. I think she knows she needs to pick one or the other sooner rather than later."

Alicia wasn't so sure about that, but she didn't correct George. There was no point in any of them second guessing Katie's emotions because she kept them to herself more often than not. Things were just going to have to play themselves out and hopefully no one would get too hurt in the process.

George glanced at his watch. "I need to get back to the shop so Patrick can have his lunchbreak. I suppose I'll see you two at the Burrow on Sunday?"

"Yeah we'll be there with Teddy."

George grabbed a handful of coins from his pocket and slid them across the table, then he helped Alicia to her feet. She said a cheery goodbye to the other couple and followed him back out of the pub and into the main street of Hogsmeade.

"Who knows, maybe Oliver and Lee won't care that they've both been sleeping with Katie. They both knew she wasn't exclusive with them."

Alicia looped her arm around George's elbow and asked, "Do you really think that?"

"No," he admitted. "I just thought I should try to be positive."

They walked the rest of the way back to the shop in silence. The weather was warming up now that July was drawing to a close; every day felt hotter than the last. It was tempting to forgo exercise in the oppressive heat, but Alicia knew she was going to have to drag her arse down to the park to run a few laps before she had to collect Jake.

Angelina was due to return in a few days, then the three Chasers would be back in the air together. _Finally._

Oh bugger. Alicia had meant to ask Ginny if she could borrow one of her brooms, but she'd been distracted by the whole Order of Merlin conversation. Maybe Angelina would be in such a good mood when she returned home that she'd be willing to lend out one of her coveted professional brooms. Wouldn't hurt to try.

As soon as Alicia pushed open the door to the shop, a little old lady came hurrying over, holding a cardboard box out towards George.

"Aha! Just the man I was looking for," she said brightly.

"Afternoon, Mrs Krenshaw."

"I made a fresh batch of pumpkin pasties this morning and I wanted to bring some over while they were still warm."

Alicia frowned and saw out of the corner of her eye that Derek and Patrick were leaning against the counter and looking on rapturously. Since she was being completely ignored by the stranger in front of her, she let go of George and went to join her supposed colleagues.

"What's all this business?" she asked the young men, waving her hand towards where her boyfriend was still standing in the doorway.

Derek sniggered. "That's your competition."

"What are you on about?"

"Mrs Krenshaw lives in the village and we're convinced she's in love with the boss. She's always bringing him pumpkin pasties and complimenting him on everything he does."

"No way. She's got to be seventy years old," Alicia scoffed.

"Sixty-seven."

"I still doubt she fancies him, lads."

"Keep watching then."

Alicia did just that and she saw it for herself. The old bag definitely let her eyes linger on George's arse as he walked across the shop floor towards them. Then the two women locked eyes and Mrs Krenshaw glared daggers.

"Jesus Christ," Alicia muttered. "A sixty-seven-year-old nemesis. That's just what I need."

"Am I paying you two to stand around and do nothing?" George snapped at the two men as he approached.

The pair jumped to attention and hurried off to find something constructive to do. George waved the box in Alicia's face then took her hand. "Come and have one of these pumpkin pasties before you go."

"That old lady has the hots for you."

"I know." George gave her a roguish smile. "Can you blame her?"

"I suppose not. As long as she keeps her hands to herself I can't really get too upset."

"Definitely no touching. I get fresh pasties every week though and she gets to look at my bum or whatever it is old women go for these days."

Alicia fought the urge to roll her eyes. She'd spent years watching him scoff pumpkin pasties at school so she knew how much he loved them. George shut the door to the storeroom behind them and went to sit on top of the little desk. He opened the box and held it out to her. They did smell divine.

"Just so you know, if these are laced with love potion I'm totally not above slapping someone's grandmother."

"Just shut up and eat one."

Alicia gave him a coy little smile then helped herself to one of the still warm pastries. It really was very good – flaky and not too sweet. Stupid old woman.

"Best you've ever had, right? Better even than the house elves at school used to make." George finished his own in two bites then sighed happily. "So bloody good."

"You're an adorable twat sometimes," Alicia said affectionately as she rubbed her hands together to clean them off.

He reached out and stuck his finger into the front pocket of her jeans then pulled her over the stand between his knees. "You know, I really think you should get that Order of Merlin."

Alicia had expected him to bring it up, just not this soon. She slipped her arms around his neck and hugged him so she could avoid looking him in the eye. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Mmm. That's not how this works, remember," he said, running his fingertips up and down her back.

"George…"

"But I know exactly what you're going to say so I can continue the conversation even if you don't want to talk to me. I_ know_ you're going to say you don't deserve it. I _know_ you're going to say you didn't do anything useful that night."

"But it's true."

"I missed the thick of the fighting as well. Do you think they should take away my medal?"

"Of course not. What happened to you was totally different. You ended up with an awful scar because you fought a Death Eater."

"And you ended up with a skull fracture," George reminded her lightly. "But it's not so much about what happened once you got to the castle, it's that you even went there in the first place. That's the bravery you should be rewarded for. Nobody forced you to Apparate to Hogsmeade with all of us. Not to mention you signed up for Dumbledore's Army."

Alicia wanted to tell him she felt like a fraud. She'd been terrified that night. She hadn't felt like a Gryffindor at all; she hadn't for a long time after. But she knew exactly what response he'd have to a comment like that so she simply promised she would think about it. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and buried her face in his neck, trying to turn off the images that were flashing through her mind.

"Can I ask you something?" George said after they'd been standing there in silence for almost half a minute.

Alicia pulled back and dropped a quick kiss on his cheek. "Of course you can."

"Will you come to the Burrow with me this Sunday? Mum's planning a big welcome home lunch for Fred and Angelina."

Alicia didn't say anything right away. Her heart was pounding as she tried to steady herself by focussing on the lighter, golden flecks in his brown eyes. Going along to a Weasley family lunch felt like a big deal.

"I realise you've met most of my family already so it won't be that big of a shock, but they can be really annoying when they're all together and right in your face. So don't feel obliged to say yes or anything; I'll understand if it's –"

Alicia put her hand over his mouth to cut him off. "I'd love to be there with you. Chris has some work thing to go to though so Jake is being dropped off around lunchtime. I'll send an owl over there tonight to explain the change of plans and Frank can simply Floo over to the Burrow instead of coming to the flat."

"I doubt Warrington's going to be happy about that."

"I don't care. He can't do anything about it. There's no stipulation that Jake has to go to the flat, just that he has to be returned to my care. Christopher Warrington will do as he's fucking told for once."

"Good because I really want you to be there. I'm going to invite Katie as well. It's going to be a pretty special lunch."

Alicia hid her grin. She knew what was about to happen over in Italy. Fred was going to propose to Angelina any moment now. It was supposed to be a secret, but Angelina had arrived home early from training the other week and she'd heard Fred practicing his proposal in the bathroom mirror. Obviously George knew it was happening and Alicia had been itching to talk to him about it, but Angelina had sworn her to secrecy. She wanted Fred to think he was surprising her and Alicia readily agreed to keep her mouth shut since she was still going out of her way to keep Angelina happy.

"I was also thinking about Saturday night," George continued. "After we go out to dinner I want you to spend the night with me."

"You mean stay over at your place?"

"Yeah." George rubbed at the back of his neck and lowered his gaze. "Unless you think it's too soon. I know it's barely been ten days..."

Alicia ducked her head to catch his lips with her own. His hands came up to cup her jaw immediately and she clutched his shoulders tightly. Just as the kiss was deepening, she pulled back and gave a contented sigh. "Never mind the ten days. Falling asleep in your arms has literally been a dream of mine for the better part of ten years. So, yes, I'll stay at your house on Saturday night, then we can go to lunch together on Sunday."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

George beamed at her, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes becoming pronounced. "You're wonderful, you know," he said.

Alicia smiled back at him, feeling light and bright and cherished all of a sudden. "Glad you think so. Does that mean I can I have another pumpkin pasty for the road?"

"Hey. _Whoa_. Now you're pushing it, sweet pea."

* * *

A/N: Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. It was a bitch to write and I had a few tries at it. Still lots of exposition and dialogue, but this was the best edit of the bunch. So with part one (Get The Idiots Together) complete, we're trucking on through to part two (Let's Play Some Quidditch) and things are about to get interesting. Next chapter will see Chris make his reappearance. For better or for worse...


	14. The Fuckhead Filter

A/N: My sincerest apologies, dear readers. I won't bore you with excuses. Here's the next chapter. Finally.

* * *

"You sure you don't want one?"

Alicia glanced over at George and grinned. "You know very well that I can't eat apples now without thinking about sex."

"So far that's cinnamon and apples I've ruined for you, huh? You might want to skip my mum's apple pie later," George advised. "Wouldn't want you having a spontaneous orgasm at the table. I doubt that would make a good impression."

"Do you think I am?" Alicia asked. "Making a good impression, I mean."

George took a large bite of his apple then put his arm around Alicia's shoulders. "Of course. I can tell mum loves you already. I think she'll have a proper fit when Jake gets here and she gets one look at his big brown eyes and that curly hair."

Alicia flushed with pleasure at that thought. She grabbed George's wrist where it was hanging by her neck and checked his watch. Only ten more minutes till Jake would be dropped off by Frank.

It was good to have George's reassurance. It _felt_ like everything was going well. This was the last hurdle really. If the Weasley family was willing to accept her into the fold then there was nothing else keeping her and George from being together. Mr Weasley and Mrs Weasley had both hugged her upon being introduced to her and they immediately insisted she called them Arthur and Molly. Bill, the only Weasley sibling she'd never had contact with, was a little more reticent, a little more suspicious of her maybe. But she was determined to find a way in with him and she had a feeling Fleur would be that conduit.

The beautiful blonde woman had clasped her hand reverently and chattered away in French for a good fifteen minutes after they were introduced. Alicia hadn't missed Ginny's eye roll and Hermione's half-hidden snicker. But she had to admit it was nice to have someone to speak the language with again.

Alicia was the happiest she'd been in years. Lunch at the Burrow was the perfect ending to the weekend she'd just spent with George. She was there to celebrate her best friend's engagement and the weather couldn't be more perfect. The summer sun in Devon was warm enough that she could feel the prickle of it on her bare arms and legs, but it thankfully wasn't strong enough to have her drowning in boob-sweat.

Everything was looking up. She'd even tracked down someone who'd agreed to come and put a Masking Charm on her flat the following morning. George had been paying her way more than he was supposed to, so she was able to meet the ex-Auror's fee and still get her rent paid on time. Finally, her struggles were subsiding and her years of going it alone were coming to an end.

Alicia sighed contently and rested her head on George's shoulder. "I think Jake's going to love it here with your family. I remember how lonely it was being an only child. Victoire and Teddy seem like great kids."

"They can both be a little wild at times, but I know they'll like having Jake around and hopefully he can calm both of them down a bit."

Alicia glanced over to where Victoire and Teddy were currently zooming around on toy broomsticks, supervised by Harry and Ron. She laughed at the twin frazzled expressions being sported by the young men. They may chase dark wizards for their day job, but wrangling two little kids was clearly taking its toll on them.

"Maybe we ought to go over and relieve the boys," Alicia suggested.

"Nah. I was thinking we could sneak up to my bedroom. You know, for old times' sake," George whispered in her ear.

"Old times' sake? We shagged up there only two weeks ago and you're already feeling nostalgic?"

"I'm feeling _something_."

Alicia sighed and turned her head to nuzzle her lips against his neck and ear. "As tempting as that sounds, I think that'd definitely create the wrong impression if you and I just disappeared like that. Besides, Jake is going to be here soon."

"Bugger. Well, next time maybe. Or the time after that. Bottom line is, I'm definitely going to be shagging you on my old bed again soon."

"Gross, George!"

Alicia turned around to see Ginny had come up behind the apple tree they were sitting beneath at the edge of the orchard. She shook her head in disgust. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," she said firmly.

"Serves you right for sneaking up on people. Is lunch ready then?"

"No. Mum's having issues with the roast apparently. I actually came to find Alicia." Ginny extended her hand down and helped Alicia to her feet. "You need to come up to the house. Like, right now."

"What for?" George demanded, getting to his feet as he gave his sister an impatient look.

"Jake's here."

"Oh good."

"He's not alone."

"That's just Frank," Alicia explained. "He's technically Chris's gardener, though he's more of a chauffeur-slash-handyman now since there isn't much of a garden at the new house."

"Er…right, but it's not Frank who came out of the Floo with Jake. Warrington's here."

Alicia stomach dropped. Her first lunch with everyone at the Burrow and Chris had shown up to ruin her mood. Talk about bad impressions.

"Fucksake," George muttered. He launched the rest of his apple high above the orchard then wiped his hands down the sides of his trousers. "What's he doing here? I thought you said he was going somewhere today."

"That's what he said in his letter when he agreed to have Frank deliver Jake to the Burrow instead of my flat. Some sort of work function he has to attend."

"Well, I don't know what's going on, but he isn't exactly dressed like he's going to work," Ginny said.

The three of them made for the Burrow and heard hushed voices coming from the long table that had been set up behind the house. In the distance, standing by the backdoor, Alicia could see Jake and Chris waiting there awkwardly. Jake waved at her then came racing over.

Alicia ducked down and gave him a big hug. "How are you, sweet boy? You have a good time at dad's house?"

"Yep. He wants to talk to you. I'm hungry, maman."

"Lunch will be ready soon." Alicia turned to look at George. "I'll go talk to Chris if you wanna take Jake over to the table."

He shook his head and replied, "I'm going over there with you."

Alicia opened her mouth to tell him that wasn't a good idea. The words caught in her throat as she recognised the resolute look in George's eye. Well, he was part of this mess as well now. He had a right to hear what Chris had to say this time.

Alicia crouched down and looked Jake in the eye. "Angelina, Katie and Fred are sitting at that big table over there. You want to go over to them while I talk to daddy?"

Predictably, Jake shook his head and reached for her hand. George crouched down beside her and ruffled Jake's hair. "Tell you what, Jakey, if you go over and ask Fred nicely he'll take you to a special spot where Harry has some toy broomsticks he's playing with."

Jake's eyes widened at the mention of Harry's name and he bounced on the spot. "Really? Mum, can I go ride a broomstick with Harry Potter?"

"Of course. Go and find Fred and he'll take you over there."

"Yes!" Jake cheered and took off at a run towards the table.

Alicia used George's shoulder as leverage so she could straighten up. "That was smart thinking dropping Harry's name like that."

"You should have realised by now that I'm more than just a pretty face." George stood up and took her hand. "What do you think the tosser wants with you?"

"Merlin only knows what it is this time," Alicia said as they made their way over to where Christopher was waiting. "I don't really think he's come to make trouble though. He's not stupid enough to make a scene in front of an ex curse-breaker and two Aurors."

"Not to mention…Angelina Johnson."

Alicia laughed and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she might actually be the scariest person at that table. I noticed Fred and Katie were struggling to keep her in her seat."

"Why d'you think Warrington's dressed like such a pillock then?" George asked.

Alicia shrugged. Chris certainly wasn't wearing his usual Muggle attire of a suit or business wear. He had on a salmon pink polo shirt and a pair of charcoal grey shorts. His outfit was completed by a pair of black boat shoes and sunglasses that probably cost more than Alicia currently had in her bank account.

As they approached, Chris flicked his sunglasses onto the top of his head then folded his arms. Then dropped his arms to his sides, then shoved his hands in his pockets.

"He's all twitchy," George observed, knowing full well that Chris would be able to hear them now.

"That's understandable," Alicia loftily. "He's going to be late for the rugby match at Eton."

"No. He's clearly on his way to one of those posh rowing regattas."

Christopher rolled his eyes at them. "Fabulous," he drawled. "You two make quite the comedic team already. Are you done?"

Alicia slipped her arm around George's waist once they halted in front of Chris. "Seriously, where are you going dressed like that?"

"Charity polo match."

"Oh my God. So we weren't even that far off the mark!" Alicia exclaimed. "I always figured you worked with a bunch of Oxbridge toffs, but thanks for confirming it. What are you even doing here if you have somewhere else to be? Is Frank ill?"

"No. I wanted to talk to you. In private," Chris added, throwing George a pointed look.

"Not going to happen," George replied immediately.

"Everyone relax. Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of George."

Chris hesitated. Alicia knew his first instinct would be to stand his ground and insist that George leave. She could see the warring emotions on his face and the tension in his body. Then it suddenly all stopped and he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Fine. Whatever. I came here to apologise to you."

Alicia's eyes widened. "For what exactly?"

"For all of it. For all the things I've done lately that have pissed you off."

George hummed thoughtfully beside her. "So are you apologising to just Alicia or is this for both of us? Because I distinctly remember you showing up at my place of business and causing a scene."

"Yeah. You as well," Chris muttered rather reluctantly.

"Well, this is certainly a refreshing change. You always hated having to apologise," Alicia said.

"I still do. But I let my emotions get the better of me and I went about everything the wrong way. I shouldn't have gone to the shop and I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did when you came to my house."

"It's technically none of your business that we're dating, but you know I would have told you about George once it became serious between us. I would never have introduced Jake to him without telling you either. I'm not a terrible mother."

"I know that. I trust you, but I just want to be kept in the loop. And I don't want to have all our communication via owl anymore. I'd like to go back to doing Jake's drop-offs and pick-ups myself."

"I'd like that as well," Alicia admitted. "I'm far too familiar with your tricks though, so go ahead and say it properly. I need to hear the actual words."

Chris hesitated, his eyes flicking between the two of them. "All right. I'm sorry."

George nodded but didn't say anything. Alicia smiled up at Chris. "There. Was that really so painful?"

"You'd be surprised," he answered wryly. "But that's not all I wanted to speak to you about. I want to find out if you're amenable to changing our visitation schedule a little."

Alicia folded her arms and pursed her lips. She should have known there was more to their impromptu meeting than a simple apology. George cleared his throat from beside her and said, "I can see that this conversation is about to get boring so I'll go check on Jake."

Alicia nodded in agreement and he kissed her quickly on the cheek then walked away. Christopher immediately relaxed a little once they were alone.

"You agreed to take him every second weekend when we moved back here," Alicia reminded him crisply. "If you can't manage that anymore you're going to break his little heart."

"I want _more_ time with him."

"How much more time are we talking about?"

"Every Wednesday night," Chris replied. "I'm going to start to do half days on Wednesdays so I'd pick him up from nursery in the afternoon and drop him back there Thursday morning."

Alicia's arms fell to her sides. She tilted her head contemplatively. "Since when do you work half days?"

"I do more than enough overtime on other days to make it possible. I want more time with my son."

Work had always come first for him, for as long as she'd known him. Their relationship had suffered a lot because of it. She was surprised at how happy it made her to hear him finally willing to take time out to concentrate on something that was actually important. It was far too late for their relationship, but he could build a stronger bond with Jake now.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Alicia asked before she agreed to anything.

Chris looked away, unwilling to meet her eyes for a moment. "He's growing up so fast and he's at an impressionable age right now. I want to be around him as much as possible."

"Oh. So this is actually about George," she said blandly. "I should have known. He's not in competition with you, you realise. He doesn't want to replace you as Jake's father. I don't want that to happen either and more to the point, Jake doesn't want or need a new dad."

"Just because no one wants it to happen, doesn't mean it won't happen naturally anyway. What if he ends up liking Weasley better than me?" Alicia opened her mouth to answer but Chris continued on, raising his voice to speak over her. "I know what you're going to say and I'm not being ridiculous. There's precedent here already: you like Weasley better than me."

Alicia clicked her tongue. "Good Lord, there's plenty of people in the world I like better than you – don't drag me into this. I've never known you to be insecure like this. Is that why you've been such an arse lately? Are you afraid Jake will end up loving George more than you?"

"I've been to that shop of his, remember. It's every little boy's dream. I work in finance for fuck's sake. What kid is going to be excited about that? Weasley has the big, fun family as well. I'm lacking on all fronts, Alicia."

"But you're his _dad_!"

"What if he wants to start calling Weasley dad? What then huh?"

"Walk with me," Alicia said, nodding her head back towards the Burrow. They better get away from prying eyes before someone noticed Chris's increasingly agitated state. "Just listen to me all right. Jake isn't going to want to call George dad any time soon, if ever. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I want to cross the bridge now," Chris insisted as he fell into step beside her and they rounded the side of the house.

Alicia exhaled loudly. "Well that'd be up to George and Jake to sort out if it ever comes up. We can't very well stop Jake from calling him dad if he really wants to."

"Look, put yourself in my shoes for a minute. I imagine I start dating a player from the Harpies or something. She's going to be able to give Jake access to the Quidditch world he loves so much. How would you feel in a scenario like that? You don't think you'd feel a little threatened?"

Alicia wanted to say no. She wanted to think she'd be the bigger person and be happy that Jake had another mother-figure in his life, but deep down she knew it'd be confronting to watch. Chris was still fairly hopeless at relationships, but there could very well be a time when she wasn't the only woman in Jake's life.

"I understand where you're coming from, okay, but I don't want you interfering with Jake and George's relationship because you're feeling left out."

"I'm not going to sabotage anything, I just want to be on an even footing," Chris insisted. "Besides, won't it make things easier for you and Weasley if Jake is with me a little more often? I'll get to spend more time with my boy, and you and Weasley'll be free to…well, I'd rather not think about it. But everyone's happy, right?"

Alicia had to admit that sounded appealing. Jake still didn't know that George was her boyfriend so it was tricky for the three of them to spend time together.

"Fine. You can have Jake every Wednesday night starting from this week."

"And I can go back to doing the drop-offs and pick-ups?"

Alicia turned and grinned at him as they stopped by the chicken coop. "You have to tell me you miss having me in your life first."

"What?"

"You heard me. I can tell you've been missing me and our little chats."

Chris flicked his glasses down again to hide his eyes. "You're just about the only link I have left to the magical world, all right. I made Marta and Frank stay and have dinner with me the other night just so I'd have someone to talk to other than my colleagues. I can't start socialising with my staff, Alicia."

"What about Adrian? Isn't he back from Germany yet?"

"Not for another week or so. He's got to finalise the sale of his house over there before he can come back. And he's still a whining pillock half the time, so there's that to consider."

"Right. And I take it none of your other housemates have been eager to reach out to you? I did notice you weren't playing in the charity match."

Chris nodded and shoved his hands back into his pockets. "I'm still persona non grata with that lot. I didn't even hear about the match till I read about it in the Prophet along with everyone else."

"I'm sorry," Alicia said sincerely. "You deserve to be playing."

"My mother came to see me," Chris said rather suddenly, coming to a stop around the far side of the house.

Alicia's stomach dropped. She'd only met the woman a couple of times, but each time had been a nightmare. "Oh no. What did she want?"

"She wanted me to fight you for sole custody of Jake."

"Naturally," Alicia replied with a diffident shrug. She wouldn't have expected anything less from the old hag. "What else?"

Chris didn't say anything for a moment. She waited patiently while he looked out over the verdant, rolling countryside for a second. "She wants me to escort her to the Malfoy's annual banquet next weekend," he answered eventually.

Alicia made an exaggerated gagging noise in the back of her throat. "Please tell me you aren't actually going to that."

"What does it matter?"

"Because you're better than all of those Death Eaters and criminals and blood-supremacists. Don't let them suck you back in."

"I think you're overestimating me, but for what it's worth, I did turn down the invitation."

"Good," she said with a firm nod. "You're a real piece of shit sometimes, but you've never been an evil piece of shit. That's an important difference."

Chris just snorted. "Sweet and eloquent as always. I can't believe I survived months without hearing your heartfelt compliments."

"You'll get a heartfelt compliment from me once you lift your game and start making a proper effort."

"Cut me some slack! I'm clearly making an effort here. Look at where I am right now! I've never seen that many redheads in one place. I feel itchy all over, like I might break out into hives."

"Piece of shit," Alicia said mildly.

She couldn't see his eye roll behind his sunglasses, but she felt it in her bones. "Right. Sorry. No more disparaging gingers."

"You clearly need to start filtering again."

Chris groaned and threw his head back. "Not the fuckhead filter?"

"The fuckhead filter," she confirmed.

Chris had a very bad habit of saying whatever was on his mind, whether or not it would insult someone or incite an argument. Alicia had come up with the concept of the fuckhead filter many years ago and the basic idea was that he had to stop and run his comment through an internal filter before opening his big fat mouth. If the reaction to said comment was likely to end up with him being called a fuckhead in response, then he had to keep it to himself.

"God dammit. I'm a grown man."

"Then act like it. What has George ever done to you anyway? There's literally no reason for you to hate him or any of the Weasleys for that matter."

"I don't know. I suppose it's just in our blood. Have you asked him why he hates me?"

"He doesn't hate you," Alicia insisted. "There's just this ingrained animosity that I guess I missed out on since I'm half-blood. But you're not the Capulets and the Montagues so enough is enough, all right. It's time for everyone to get along. We aren't solely defined by our houses anymore."

"You're always pretty quick to point out how evil everyone in Slytherin is," Chris pointed out. "You did it, like, two minutes ago."

"Not _everyone_. Only those who proved it with their actions during the war. If I hated all Slytherins I wouldn't have spent all those years with you, would I?"

Chris turned to her and lowered his sunglasses so he could peer over the top of them. "I don't know, I can be very charismatic."

"Fuck off already."

"Sure. Don't want to be late for the polo match," he said with a weary sigh. "It's so much hassle to smile and be nice and remember all that Muggle shite at the same time. Plus, Prince Charles is playing on one of the teams today so I have to pretend to care about the monarchy and whatnot."

Alicia perked up at that. She wasn't much of a monarchist, but they were still celebrities to her. "Prince Charles? Really?"

"Yeah and the rumour is William will be there watching."

"Oh wow," she breathed. "That's actually pretty cool. All my friends at primary school fancied him, but I always preferred Harry myself."

"Right. The ginger one," Chris said with a laugh.

Alicia scowled up at him. "I think I'm going to put a moratorium on the word ginger from now on; I don't like the way you say it."

Chris just laughed again and walked away, pulling his wand from his pocket. He turned back and gave her one of his smiles that used to take her knees out from under her. "Look at me now, huh. Taking orders from a Gryffindor, apologising to a Weasley, consorting with the royal family. If only my father was still alive to see all this – it'd definitely do him in."

"There's looking on the bright side," Alicia said cheerfully.

"I'll see you later then?"

"Yes. I'm serious about making this work with George though, so at the first sign of trouble I won't hesitate to cut you out of my life for good. Understand?"

"The last thing I want to do is make trouble for you, but, yes, I understand," he replied. "Now, before I go, it'd be nice to hear you say you missed having me in your life as well."

"Goodbye, Christopher."

He gave her a parting smirk then spun and Apparated. Alicia shook her head, but couldn't help the affectionate smile that slid across her lips. He really was perfectly tolerable sometimes. For a second there it had almost felt like their early days together back in Paris. Perhaps they could finally have some sort of friendship now that he seemed to be done with his little tantrum.

Only time would tell, she supposed. It felt like the last piece of the puzzle had just fallen into place for her. She continued around the house with a spring in her step. Back by the orchard, the twins were now supervising the three kids as they took turns on the brooms. Angelina and Katie were standing amidst the trees and looking on.

"Everything all right?" Angelina asked the second Alicia joined them.

"Yeah, he just wanted to ask me about extra time with Jake. I think it's all going to be fine from now on."

Katie let out a low whistle. "I just can't believe that's what Warrington looks like these days. I mean…fucking hell."

"Good Godric. Keep it in your pants, Kate. Don't forget who he is."

"I never bought into all of that house rivalry rubbish," Katie said dismissively. "Fit is fit."

"I was _trying_ to remind you that he's your best friend's ex, you slag."

"Oh. Yeah. There is that problem, I suppose."

Alicia laughed and put her arm around Katie's shoulders. "I think Lina has a point. You've got your hands full with Lee and Oliver right now. Do you really need to bring in a third bloke?"

"Stop. I've told you to stop bringing them up," the blonde groaned, burying her face in her hands.

Alicia exchanged a knowing glance with Angelina. So far Katie had been in denial about the fact that both men would be back in Scotland soon. She refused to discuss the matter with either of them. Typical, stubborn Katie

"Hey! Not so fast!"

The three women looked over to find the children currently in a wrestling match with the twins. George chased after Jake and caught him around the waist and hoisted him up above his head triumphantly. Fred, meanwhile, was on the ground pretending to submit to Teddy and Victoire. All the kids were cackling with glee. So were the grown men, actually.

"I swear I can feel my ovaries throbbing right now," Angelina said wistfully.

"Fred'll make a great father one day," Alicia said, resting her head on her friend's arm. "So will George, for that matter."

"I think he's already doing a great job," Katie commented. "He's taken to all of this rather well, don't you think? Instant fatherhood doesn't sit well with a lot of men our age."

"He's been amazing," Alicia agreed. She was just glad that Chris wasn't around to hear mention of George's natural parenting skills. "Not that I expected anything less. Those two are just big kids at heart anyway."

As if hearing them, Fred suddenly gasped and clutched at his chest as Victoire mimed stabbing him with a sword. He moaned and gagged and thrashed around theatrically, dragging out his fake death scene while the little ones giggled rapturously.

Angelina gestured grandly towards the proceedings. "And that right there, ladies, is the man I've just agreed to marry."

* * *

A/N: A lot of dialogue again, but oh well. Alicia and Warrington needed to talk it out. Now that he's back in her good graces, I'm going to post some bonus content. I intended to write a small flashback of how the two met up in France, but it became too big to include in a chapter of this story. In fact, it clocked in at a touch over 11,000 words. So I'm going to post it separately as a sort of prequel to Ingrained and I hope to write some more about their time in France eventually. If you're interested, the new story will be called 'French Interludes' and it will be posted in the next day or so. It's not essential reading for Ingrained, but it will clear up a few things that have already been vaguely alluded to. Thank you all for your patience and for sticking around!


	15. A Slight Fib

A/N: Been ages but I'm back with more...finally.

* * *

George heard their raucous laughter before he saw them. The three Chasers eventually rounded the side of his house and he smiled to himself. They looked happy and at ease with each other. As much as he enjoyed having Alicia to himself he knew it was important for them to build up their friendship again. It mightn't ever be the way it used to be, but he could see that it was better than it had been only weeks ago. Angelina appeared to be thawing out…slowly but surely.

"Afternoon, ladies. How'd it go today?"

Alicia looked up and flashed him a toothy smile. "It was great. We managed a Hawkshead and all."

"Our timing is still a little off," Katie admitted. "But I think we'll get there before the match. Just need to keep at it."

"Yeah, so we're gonna need to steal her off you again tomorrow," Angelina said.

That was mildly irritating. He'd taken the day off work expressly to spend the day with Alicia while Jake was at school.

"You don't mind, do you?" Alicia skipped up the stairs and came to stand by his chair. "I know we had plans but tomorrow's the only day all three of us are free for the rest of this week."

"I don't mind," he said. "I know you need to keep training together. The team won't stand a chance if you Chasers aren't playing like you used to."

"I knew it. You're the best." Alicia dropped a kiss on his cheek and leaned her broomstick against the wall. "I'll go take a quick shower and you and I can go out for lunch or something."

"Sounds good," George said, smiling up at her.

"I'll see you girls same time tomorrow."

Angelina and Katie said their farewells then Alicia disappeared into the house. He got up to follow her but found the other two women hadn't move, they just stared up at him from the bottom of the stairs.

"What?" he finally demanded of them.

"She wouldn't stop talking about you all morning," Katie answered.

"It was sickening," Angelina added.

George could see the hint of a smile on her lips so he didn't believe her disgust for a second. "That's really nice to hear," he admitted as a pleasant tingle ran the length of his spine.

"She really adores you so don't pull your usual shit and ruin it by second guessing everything," Katie advised.

Angelina nodded firmly. "Or we're gonna have a problem with you, Weasley."

"You're worried about _me_ breaking _her_ heart?" George asked. "She's the one with the track record of disappearing into thin air."

"We know, love, but you don't exactly have the best dating history," Katie explained. "We're just trying to make sure neither of you get hurt. Alicia isn't as easy-going as Gwen, so don't expect her to stick around if you start being a twat. She said she's been there and done that with Warrington. As much as she fancies you, she's not going to waste her time if she thinks you aren't into this one hundred percent."

George was very tempted to tell them to mind their own business. He and Alicia had already had this conversation more than once. It was sorted; they were very much on the same page. But, ultimately, Angelina and Katie were his friends as well so they were looking out for his best interests too.

"I'm into this one hundred percent, okay," he replied, keeping his tone level and pleasant. "I'm really glad you're watching Alicia's back like this. It's a big relief actually, but I've got it under control. This already feels different to any other relationship I've been in. I won't do anything to cock it up – I promise you both."

"We've still got our eye on you," Angelina said curtly.

George grinned and tilted his head. "Aaw. You still love her. That's sweet, Ange. She doesn't think you do so make sure you let her know she's wrong when you see her tomorrow."

"Hold your Hippogriffs. I just don't want to be around if this thing implodes."

"We _both_ love her," Katie said, slinging her arm around Angelina's shoulders. "And you as well. So just come to us first if you're ever having second thoughts, okay."

"I will," George agreed readily. "Now get out of here already. I have a hot lunch date waiting inside for me."

Katie blew him a kiss then pulled Angelina away with her. George let out an exasperated breath once they had disappeared around the side of the house. He was conscious of his bad habits now; he honestly didn't think he was going to fuck anything up this time around. It just wasn't helping that everyone else seemed to think he was destined to crash and burn. It'd be nice if someone believed in him for a change.

Alicia did though. She'd said as much to him the other day when he'd admitted that he was worried he'd fall back into old habits. She'd assured him that he wasn't going to let him go that easily. In the end, he had her unwavering support and that was enough to calm him down.

George just wished he had a way to let her know just how much this all meant to him already. But short of telling her he was falling in love, he didn't know what to do. Once again, his hopelessness at relationships shone through.

Then his eyes fell on the broomstick Alicia had left by the door. That would work. He hadn't planned on telling her the truth about it till right before the match. It was probably better that he came clean now anyway, before she went and mentioned something to Ginny and everyone became confused. Hopefully Alicia would take his gesture the way it was intended.

Only one way to find out. George snatched up the broom and went inside. The shower was still running when he walked past the bathroom so he went into his office to finish up some paperwork while he waited for her to emerge.

He was signing the last invoice for that month when he heard her out in the living room. He left the room and found her bent forward with her wet hair flipped over her head so that it hung down, long and dark. She pointed her wand at it and when she tossed her head back, her hair was instantly dry. She smiled upon seeing him.

"There you are. Everything all right?"

"Perfect."

Alicia came over and looped her arms around his waist and gazed up at him. "Where do you fancy going for lunch? You wanna try Edinburgh or head back down to my neighbourhood?"

"Whatever you feel like is fine."

"My favourite sushi restaurant in London it is then. Just give me a second to bring Ginny's broom inside. I'd hate for it to be stolen or damaged."

"Already taken care of," George replied, nodding across to the armchair he'd carefully placed the broom on top of. "How are you liking it so far?"

"It's brilliant," she enthused. "Probably not enough straight-line speed for a Seeker but it's agile and manoeuvrable – perfect for a Chaser."

George looked on affectionately as she went over to pick up the broom. She ran her hand along it reverently. "I really need to thank Ginny for letting me borrow it. I can't believe she let me use it before she'd even had a chance to ride it herself."

George hummed noncommittally and went to sit on the armrest of the nearby sofa. "So you'd use it for the match if you had the option?" he asked, crossing his arms and trying to suppress the smile that was threatening to give him away.

Alicia clutched the broomstick to her chest. "Absolutely! I was going to beg Angelina but she's sooo protective of her brooms. Katie offered to lend me one of the school brooms, but I'd rather just use the Cleansweep if it comes to that option. If you think she'd agree, I'll ask Ginny next time I see her."

"You don't need to ask her permission."

Alicia frowned at him. "Oh. You already asked her for me then?"

George shook his head. "You don't need to ask Ginny because it's not really her broomstick. I may have told you a slight fib there."

"What? Then who does it belong to?"

"You."

Alicia stared down at the shiny mahogany handle then back up at him. Her blue eyes were even wider than normal. "What do you mean, George? How can it be mine?"

"Because I bought it for you. It's never belonged to anybody but you."

Alicia slowly laid the broomstick across the armchair and put her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry about the lie," George said quickly, "but I wanted to make sure you actually liked the broom first. I didn't want you to feel obliged to use it just because I got it for you. But since you clearly like it I figured it was time to come clean."

"You seriously bought me a broomstick?" she asked softly.

"I seriously did," George confirmed. "I got it the day after I saw you struggling on your old Cleansweep at the Burrow. I also didn't want to give it to you straight away because I thought the timing might be a bit odd. I didn't want you to think I bought you a broom all because you let me have sex with you."

"Oh Merlin," Alicia muttered. She tore her eyes away from the broom and a second later she threw herself at him.

"Whoa," George gasped out, as he managed to unfold his arms just in time to catch her. They still went careening back, dropping onto the sofa with her lying on top of him.

"You seriously bought me a broom," she said, her face pressed firmly against his chest.

"You needed one of your own. It's really no big deal."

"I know how much broomsticks cost, George Weasley! Wait." She pushed herself up, using his chest as leverage so she could sit back, straddling his hips. "Can you afford to buy me a brand new broomstick?"

"I might end up having to eat beans on toast for the rest of the month, but yeah." George propped himself up on his elbows when he caught the stricken look on Alicia's face. "I'm only taking the piss! Of course I can afford it. Dean Thomas runs Quality Quidditch these days and he gave me a good deal on it. I know the best broom on the market is the Nimbus Elite, but Dean reckons the latest Comet is a better fit for a Chaser."

"He's right – it's the best broom I've ever used. I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

George shook his head quickly. "It's a gift. I'm not going to take any money off you."

"This is a lot," Alicia said softly. "I've barely been your girlfriend for three weeks."

"I know. But I can tell you've been anxious about finding a broom to use for the match and I'm in a position to help. And I honestly don't expect anything in return."

Alicia cocked her head and asked, "Really? Not even a kiss?"

"I wouldn't say no to one, but don't feel obliged."

She just laughed and leaned down. "I think you deserve a lot more than a kiss actually, but right now I'm starving. So sushi first, then I'll shag your brains out. How does that sound?"

George smirked up at her and said nothing. He placed his hands on her hips and pushed her back far enough to feel his erection, which had been growing ever since she settled her perfect arse on top of him.

She just frowned and shook her head. "Well, that's unfortunate. I don't suppose you should go out in public like that. Wouldn't want you getting pinched for public indecency."

"I'm too pretty for prison," George agreed solemnly.

* * *

It wouldn't hurt to ask, Alicia figured. Just a hypothetical question between…acquaintances? Hmm. She was really going to have to pinpoint her relationship with Chris soon. Whether or not they were actually friends was still a little hazy. He was polite enough during their short interactions that she was optimistic, but so far he hadn't exactly gone out of his way to spend any longer than was necessary in her company.

When she Apparated into his back garden on Sunday afternoon, she quickly realised that they weren't going to be able to have a private conversation. Chris was currently sitting at his outdoor table with Adrian Pucey.

"Maman!" Jake called from where he was currently jumping on a trampoline. "Look at me! Look how high I can go and I'm not even scared!"

"That's great, sweetheart." Alicia gave her son an appropriately impressed look and trudged up towards the house.

"Afternoon," Chris said amiably, raising his tumbler of alcohol to her in greeting.

"Seriously, Christopher. A bloody trampoline now?"

"He wanted one," he replied with an indolent shrug.

"Well he wants a pet as well. You gonna buy him a dog next time?"

"Fuck no."

Alicia rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the other Slytherin at the table. "All right, Adrian? When did you get back?"

He still looked the same – shorter and stouter than Chris, and much fairer. His close-cropped hair was a sandy blonde colour and his eyes were pale blue. Alicia hadn't seen him in a few years. He had taken a job teaching English at Durmstrang after graduating. He'd popped over to France whenever he had a break, so the three of them had spent a bit of time together. They made quite the odd trio really.

Adrian was submissive and unassuming where Chris was brash and combative. At first Alicia hadn't worked out why Chris had picked Adrian to be the only friend he kept in touch with from school. Then she slowly realised that Adrian was also a bit of an outsider amongst their housemates. He wasn't pureblood and didn't come from money; his quidditch skills were the only thing that kept him from being mercilessly ridiculed by every other Slytherin.

"Got back last night," Adrian answered. He gave her a tepid, obligatory smile. "You look…well."

Alicia supressed a chuckle. He really never had worked out how to handle her. Now things were even more complicated and he clearly had no idea how to navigate the new terrain. "Cheers, Pucey. I've been working out. I hear you're back home for good?"

"Staying in London for the time being but I'm looking to settle somewhere up north. I finally got a teaching post at Hogwarts."

Chris raised his glass and said, "Hence the celebratory scotch at three in the afternoon."

"Wow. That's great. What are you going to be teaching?"

"Arithmancy."

"Oh. Uh, fascinating."

That was about the extent of the small talk she could be bothered making with Adrian. Alicia looked back over her shoulder and found Jake still jumping happily, his dark hair flopping against his sweaty forehead.

"Let the boy play a while longer. Take a seat." Chris kicked out the chair across from him and nodded towards it.

"Fine." Alicia dropped down into the chair with a resigned sigh. "But we're not discussing Quidditch. The last thing I need is you two trying to get tactics and whatnot out of me."

"Never mind that. I already passed all your little Gryffindor secrets on to Adrian here."

"Oi! I never told you a single one of our tactics!"

"You didn't have to say anything. It's as much what you don't say. I was observant enough to pick up on plenty of your gameplays over the years."

"All right, Agatha Christie. Take it easy." Alicia narrowed her eyes at Chris and he smirked. At least she finally knew when she was being baited. "You wanna talk tactics? You can tell me how the hell Flint is even going to fit on his broom. I saw his picture in the paper yesterday and he's enormous!"

"Muggle steroids apparently."

"Good grief," Adrian muttered, slapping his hand to his forehead. "Can you at least try to keep your mouth shut?"

Christopher sipped his drink calmly then shrugged. "Why? I have no loyalty to Flint. I've heard that stuff shrinks your testicles. You think that's true?"

Alicia gagged at the thought of Flint's bollocks in any state. "Gross. Can we go back to talking about Arithmancy please?"

"Let's go back to Quidditch instead. Has Wood got you lot training everyday then?"

"Oliver's away at a training camp with the Scottish national team so we're going it alone for the moment," Alicia answered. She turned to Adrian. "What about you? Have you trained much yet?"

"Every single bloody day since I got back from Germany. Flint's really taking this seriously."

Alicia felt a little flutter of nerves in her stomach. She was nowhere near ready for a proper match. She was working out every other day with George and she met up with the girls as often as she could. But without Oliver around there really wasn't anyone pushing the team to train hard.

"Do you have a broom to use for the match?" Chris asked.

Alicia sat up a little straighter as she remembered George's generous gift. "I do actually. I have the latest Comet."

"The Comet's rubbish," Chris said dismissively. "My new Nimbus Elite arrived last week. I'll lend it to you for the match."

"I don't need it. And the Comet is far from rubbish, thank you very much."

"I'll take the Elite," Adrian piped up.

"I wasn't offering it to you, you muppet." Chris leaned across the table and narrowed his eyes at Alicia. "Why would you turn that down? I'm offering you a Ferrari and you're sticking with your Volvo."

"Well don't you sound like a regular old Muggle these days," Alicia teased. "The Comet's a perfect broom for a Chaser. Besides, I could fly circles around you Slytherins on a thirty-year-old Shooting Star if I had to."

"Maybe so, but it's ridiculous to refuse the best broom on the market," Chris insisted. "Unless…ah. Weasley bought it for you, didn't he?"

"That's really none of your business."

"That was more of a rhetorical question. It's obvious he bought it for you. There's no way you could afford it yourself."

"Stop acting as if you're my accountant." Alicia stood up and gave both men a polite nod. "I've officially hit my limit for Slytherin interactions today. You two enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

"Be stubborn then. But if hell freezes over and you change your mind, the offer stands till the day of the match."

Alicia shook her head and smiled serenely at Chris. "I don't need your fancy broom. But you may want to reconsider lending it to Pucey here. He can use all the help he can get."

She turned and walked away before either of them could say anything else. Not that Adrian would have stood up for himself; his erstwhile housemate certainly wouldn't have. She wrestled Jake off the trampoline and carried his wriggling form under her arm to the back corner of the garden. Right before she Apparated, she realised what had just happened.

Chris never let anyone borrow his brooms. Especially not a brand new, top of the line racing broom. It was unheard of.

It was…progress?

* * *

A/N: Hopefully I'll have more time for writing from now on. Longer, better chapters are on the way. Thanks for sticking around.


	16. Scottish Sunrise

A/N: Hello again! Another chapter for you all. This one is a hard M though, so consider yourself warned. If that's not your thing, you can skip this chapter without missing out on any real plot development.

If you're here for the smut, however, proceed and enjoy!

* * *

Alicia awoke so early that the morning light was still dusky and tepid. _Finally_. She'd actually managed to wake up before the sun had fully risen. The last two times she'd stayed at George's place, she'd woken up just after sunrise, as was her unbreakable habit. She'd even contemplated setting an alarm just so that she could be up early enough this time. In the end, she hadn't wanted to risk waking George.

Somehow, her internal body clock had woken her at the right moment anyway. She blinked and rubbed at her eyes. George was lying on his stomach, breathing evenly and deeply. One of his feet was tangled up with hers and his arm was strewn across her ribcage. He always slept like that – unencumbered and spread out like a starfish. Alicia had a tendency to curl up into a ball when she slept so she didn't need a lot of space in bed anyway. Their compatibility was sometimes eerie like that.

Alicia gently moved his arm off her and extricated her legs. George grunted and shifted a little but didn't wake up. She sat up and stared at him for a moment. He really was gorgeous. His face was serene and relaxed in sleep and it made him look younger. At that moment, he could have been the boy she'd fallen for all those years ago. Except for the muscles. Those were new and lovely.

She was so tempted to run her fingers down his back and let them slide beneath the sheet that was bunched at his waist. But she was on a deadline. She settled for brushing his hair back off his face and placing a soft kiss on his shoulder. Silently and carefully, she slid out of bed.

George had taken her to a fancy restaurant in London the night before. She'd worn a beautiful teal coloured dress she'd borrowed from Katie. It was a lovely dress, but a bit extravagant to wear first thing in the morning. That left her completely naked and shivering slightly in the middle of the room. She was going to have to start keeping some spare clothes at George's place.

Wow. What a thought _that_ was. Having a drawer of her own at his house would have seemed like a ridiculous idea only a month ago. Now they were at this point. He hadn't stayed at her flat yet because she wasn't quite comfortable with that, but so far she'd spent the night at his house whenever Jake was with Chris. It was all happening a little fast and it was all still a little intense.

But somehow perfect and unbelievably sublime at the same time. She didn't want to slow down. She didn't want to pump the brakes. She wanted to throw herself headlong into this relationship so that's what she was doing. George was eagerly meeting her halfway, thank Merlin. She didn't think she had it in her to pursue him and coax him along anymore.

Alicia wrapped her arms around herself and went over to the chest of drawers across the room. She opened and closed each one till she found a selection of jumpers. She grabbed the plain black hooded one on top and slipped it over her head. It was long enough to reach past her bum, but she thought she should find a pair of shorts anyway. She didn't remember seeing any in the drawers though, so she'd have to go back through them all.

If she kept faffing around she'd miss the show entirely. She huffed out an impatient breath and left the bedroom wearing only the snuggly jumper. She spotted her discarded knickers by the front door. Her mind was flooded with memories of last night, when George had dropped to his knees the second they'd walked through the door. He truly did have a fondness for oral sex, which was really just extra icing on the ridiculously perfect cake at this point.

Well, her underwear would be better than nothing, she figured. She pulled them on quickly and made her way to the backdoor. It might be mid-summer but they were still in the Scottish Highlands; the chill in the air was bracing. Alicia flipped the hood up and settled herself on one of the chairs George kept on his back veranda. His house was perfectly positioned right on the outer edge of the village. She tucked her knees up under her chin and stretched the jumper out over her bare legs.

Perfect timing. The sun was just emerging from behind the mountains. A warm orange glow was spilling down into the valley below. It was as breathtaking as she remembered it. In fact, it was even better to watch up close.

Every inch of her was relaxed and happy at that moment. The list of crap she needed to sort out in her life was slowly but surely shrinking. She didn't quite know how to quantify her relationship with Chris yet, but the animosity was gone now at least. Things had fallen into place with George better than she could ever have hoped. She'd wasted a lot of time and energy on both men lately but she felt like she had it sorted out finally.

Now to find a job. Working with George had its benefits of course, but she was beginning to think she was being more of a hindrance than a help in the shop. The last thing she wanted to do was overstay her welcome and deprive the business of money making opportunities because she lacked the patience, charm and charisma needed to sell stuff to people.

There'd doubtless be more than a few suitable vacancies at the Ministry. It shouldn't be too hard to get something. It'd mean spending less time with George, but maybe that was for the best. The last thing she wanted was for him to get sick of her already.

Although that certainly wasn't looking likely at the moment. He wanted to spend every spare second with her. Alicia found herself wanting to do the same. Admittedly, there was a lot of sex happening still. Frantic, passionate sex that was pretty normal at the beginning of a relationship. She couldn't exactly complain about being deprived with previous partners – Chris, for all his faults, had never been selfish in that regard – but George was on another level. At the moment he was behaving as if his sole purpose in life was to keep her in steady supply of orgasms, which was perfectly fine with her.

It'd probably taper off soon, but that was okay. There had been enough real moments between them for her to be sure there was more to their relationship than just sex. Thinking about their future made her body tingle with excitement and she'd never had that. She'd never been able to look forward to something, to count on anything good being ahead of her in life.

The sun was clearing the mountain tops now and bathing the wild flowers on the village outskirts in a muted glow. Alicia got to her feet and went to lean against the veranda railing. It was so picturesque. If only she could bring her camera, but it wouldn't work thanks to the protective magic surrounding Hogsmeade and the school beyond. She was okay at drawing, though capturing the perfection of a Scottish sunrise felt like a tall order.

As she contemplated whether she should even try sketching the scene in front of her, she heard footsteps coming around the side of the house. Before she could turn and duck back inside, Mrs Krenshaw stepped into view. She was off on an early morning ramble, judging by her hiking attire and the large stick she was carrying.

"Morning," Alicia called out cheerfully.

Mrs Krenshaw stopped dead in her tracks and peered up at her. She scowled, her eyes narrowing in clear distaste. Then her eyes slid down to Alicia's bare legs and she gasped audibly.

"Oh crap," Alicia muttered, tugging uselessly at the hem of the jumper. "It's not what it looks like, I promise."

"Awful," Mrs Krenshaw whimpered. "What is the world coming to? Simply awful."

"I swear I have underwear on!"

The old witch averted her eyes skyward and tsked her disapproval before hurrying away. "I'm not a slag," Alicia called after her plaintively.

Piss and shit. She was definitely going to have to learn how to make pumpkin pasties now.

That was probably a sign that she ought to go back inside and make herself a cup of coffee.

"Leesh? Who were you talking to?"

She turned to find George opening the backdoor and blinking rapidly in the light. He'd put on a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of boxers and he looked deliciously sleep tousled. His hair was askew and his eyes were still heavy and drowsy.

"It was your other girlfriend," Alicia said softly as he joined her on the veranda. She nodded towards Mrs Krenshaw's retreating form. "I think my lack of clothing almost gave her a heart attack."

George yawned and waved her comment away. "She'll live. What are you even doing out here at fuck-all o'clock?"

"I wanted to see the sun come up from behind the mountains." Alicia turned back around to get one last look at the brilliant spectacle.

George came up behind her and grasped the railing on either side of her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and said, "It's very fetching. I've lived here for a year and I've never woken up early enough to watch the sunrise. Then again, I'm a normal person and normal people have the sense to sleep through sunrises."

"_I'm_ a normal person," Alicia said crisply, throwing her elbow back and catching him in the ribs. "I sometimes woke up early enough to watch it back at school. I could see the sunrise from behind the mountain range all the way from Gryffindor Tower. I just wanted a chance to see it up close, I suppose."

George yawned loudly in her ear and wrapped his arms around her middle. "But we had this discussion already. You know I don't like waking up alone."

"I'm sorry. You were sound asleep when I got up so I thought I'd have time to come outside. I promise I was about to go make myself a coffee then bring it back to bed so I could be there when you woke up."

The first couple of times she'd slept over, George had lamented the fact that she'd woken up before him and left the bed to go sit out in the living room. He had said he'd wanted to roll over and find her warm, naked body beside him.

"Well, if you're done being all sentimental, can we go back to bed now?"

"I wish, but I can't go back to sleep once I'm fully awake."

"Who said anything about sleeping?"

George grabbed her hand and dragged her back into the house. Alicia giggled as she stumbled along behind him, shedding her knickers once again as she went. In the bedroom, she helped George throw off his boxers and shirt then she shoved him backwards onto the bed.

"I'm sorry you had to come outside and get me," she said as she crawled over him then settled astride his hips.

"I thought we had an understanding, then you go and break my trust like that," George replied, affecting a disapproving tone. "I think you ought to make it up to me now."

"I suppose it's the least I can do," Alicia agreed. She rolled her hips, rubbing herself along the length of his rapidly hardening cock.

"Fuck. How are you so wet already?"

Alicia shrugged and repeated the move, this time with George thrusting up from below as well. "I may have taken a moment to stop and stare at you before I got out of bed."

"Perve."

"You love it."

George groaned and clutched her hips tightly, grinding himself against her clit. The friction made Alicia moan and arch her back. She pulled the jumper off and, predictably, George's hands went straight for her breasts, leaving her free to shift back slightly and grab hold of his cock.

"I'll never abandon you to watch another sunrise," she promised. She lined herself up and sank down on him slowly, inch by inch.

"Maybe we could do this next time while we both watch the sunrise."

"We'd definitely end up giving old lady Krenshaw a heart attack if we did that." Alicia sighed happily once she'd taken his entire length. She stayed still for a beat, savouring the delicious stretch and the feeling of being full and complete.

"She wouldn't know what we were doing," George continued. "It'd just look like you were sitting on my lap, but I'd really be buried deep inside you. God, you're so warm and tight, sweetheart. You gonna make it up to me by riding my cock now?"

"That's the plan."

Alicia leaned forward and planted her hands on his chest so she'd have a little leverage to move against him. Her hips began to rock in a slow, deep rhythm and she ducked her head to drag her lips along the morning stubble covering his cheek.

George hummed in approval and swept his thumbs over her nipples. "We can do this all day, you know. Nowhere to be, nothing important to do today. We can stay in bed just like this for hours. Sound good?"

Alicia's breath hitched as George bucked his hips beneath her. "That sounds fabulous. You feel so perfect inside me; I never want to leave this bed again."

"That's right. That's my girl."

When George's fingers left her nipples and dropped to caress her swollen clit, she increased her tempo till she was riding him in earnest. Her hips flashed and she arched her back again. She felt lithe and powerful and sexy. George was completely still beneath her now, content to just lie back and let his finger circle her clit idly.

Alicia felt her orgasm pulling at her abdomen and she let it build and blossom till the pull became too much to resist. "George," she moaned, grabbing hold of his wrist and rubbing her throbbing clit faster against his hand.

"Come for me," he coaxed. "Let me feel it."

Her pussy began to spasm immediately, clenching around the unyielding length inside of her. George swore and reached for her waist. He groaned, the sound coming from deep within his chest, and Alicia knew him well enough by now to recognise he was about to come.

Alicia made a lazy figure-eight with her hips as her orgasm petered out. George thrust up into her once, twice then held her down at the same time so he could be buried in her as deep as possible when he came.

"Fucking brilliant," Alicia sighed as she fell forward and rested her forehead on his shoulder.

George swept her hair aside so he could kiss her on the cheek. "I'll let you go and watch all the sunrises you want if you always promise to come back inside and ride me like that."

"Deal," she agreed readily. "Were you serious about spending the whole day in bed?"

"Only if you want to as well."

Alicia pulled back and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "I don't want to be anywhere else in the world," she assured him. "I'll just need to go clean up quickly, because gravity really isn't my friend right now. And I'll need to make myself a coffee of course. I'll be five minutes at most."

"I'll be waiting."

Alicia climbed off George and sauntered out into the living room. She retrieved her wand from the sofa and performed a quick cleaning charm on herself. No point showering already if there was a full day of debauchery still to come. She then eyed Katie's dress speculatively where it lay over the back of an armchair. Transfiguration had always been her worst subject at school, but what the hell. She pictured a bathrobe in her mind's eye then waved her wand over the dress. To her astonishment, the dress transformed into a robe. Okay, so it was more like an oversized satin kimono, but it was at least wearable.

Alicia slipped it on then went and tapped her wand against the kettle. The water began to boil instantly and she summoned herself a cup and the jar of coffee. She caught both items smoothly in her hands. She really was getting in touch with her magic more. It felt good to access it regularly even though she was still a little rusty with some things.

She had a handy teacher nearby though. George was brilliant at Charms and Transfiguration and he seemed to get a kick out of correcting her every once in a while. Alicia didn't even care; she could recognise he was better at magic. After all, he'd managed to conjure a corporeal patronus back in their DA lessons. All she'd produced was a puff of indistinct white smoke that dissipated after five seconds.

Things were different now. Alicia had a lot more happy memories she could access for the spell. Maybe it was worth giving it another shot, with George's expert guidance of course.

Alicia was tapping her wand against her chin and contemplating which memory to use when she heard familiar voices drifting in from the open kitchen window.

But it couldn't be. It was barely six o'clock.

She pulled her makeshift robe tighter around herself and headed out the front door. The voices got louder till five disgruntled, sleep deprived people came around the corner. Well, four disgruntled, sleep deprived people and Oliver Wood, who looked as chirpy as a sparrow.

Alicia shook her head at her team and couldn't help but laugh. She and Oliver were still the only morning people apparently. Angelina looked positively murderous and Katie was slumped against Fred, her eyes closed and her head resting on his shoulder.

"I'm supposed to be on summer break," she mumbled without opening her eyes. "No one wakes up before ten on summer break. I hate you, Oliver."

He ignored her and instead addressed Alicia. "Can you believe this lot still grumble like children when they get woken up?"

"That's nothing. You just wait till George finds out you're here."

Katie opened her eyes finally and gave a little shriek when she took in Alicia's appearance. "What have you done to my dress?" she demanded. "You nutter. You look like a forty-something divorcee who's currently shagging her way through the towel boys at a Mediterranean resort."

"It's called fashion," Alicia said crisply and swirled her robe flamboyantly.

"No time for that now," Oliver said sharply. "We've got lots of work to do and less than two weeks to get it done. We only have access to the school stadium for five hours today."

"_Only_?" Harry repeated, ruffling his hair absently and making it even messier than it already was.

"Yes. So go back inside and get changed and tell George to get his arse out of bed already."

"And don't even think about turning my dress into a tracksuit, because I _will_ kill you," Katie added.

"Are you seriously outside again?" came George's voice from inside the house. "It's also been way more than five minutes. You're gonna owe me again. This time you can use your pretty little mouth-"

"Oi!" Alicia interrupted him sharply before he could finish that undoubtedly filthy sentence. She turned around and gave him a beatific smile. "We have visitors this morning."

"What? At this time of day?" George asked as he stumbled down the hallway, pulling on his boxers again.

"Yep. Guess who's back in town?" Alicia stepped out of the doorway so that George could get a look at the team. He stopped in his tracks and put his hands on his hips.

"Morning," Oliver said brightly.

"Ah, fuck."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading/following/reviewing. Next chapter shouldn't be too far away. Chapter after that will be the big match if all goes to plan.


	17. Angry Red Slash

A/N: Hi again! The beginning of this chapter has a violent act described. It's not too graphic or gory but I figured a quick warning wouldn't hurt.

* * *

Alicia heaved in a deep breath and pushed hard for the last stretch of her run around Hogsmeade. George's house came in to view and she slowed to a light jog. He was waiting for her of course, a large grin on his face.

"That lap was almost a minute faster than last week. You're smashing it, pet."

"Thanks," was all she managed to say before she collapsed onto her knees on the grass.

"Have a nice stretch and relax now," he advised, patting the top of her damp head.

Alicia groaned. She was sweaty and sore all over, but it was an oddly satisfying feeling. At least she could now make it all the way around the village without wheezing like an eighty-year-old asthmatic. She whipped her shirt over her head and flopped backwards wearing only her sports bra. They'd been going at it for an hour already in the heat. "It's so bloody hot. It's inhuman."

There was now only a week to go before the match, and strangely, Alicia was feeling less and less nervous as the big day approached. The team had trained together several times now and things were clicking into place a lot better than anyone had expected. Sometimes it felt like only a few months had passed since the seven of them had played Quidditch together.

Alicia shaded her eyes with her hand and squinted up at George. "How are you still wearing your shirt? Take it off already and enjoy the sun. Remember we're in Scotland, so today could be your one chance this summer to get a tan."

"I'm incapable of tanning," he replied shortly. "I'll just get sunburned then end up with more freckles. Now stop trying to get me to take my clothes off and concentrate on your stretches."

Alicia sighed wearily and rolled onto her stomach. She grabbed hold of one of her ankles and pulled her heel towards her bum so that her quad muscle pulled tight. "For the record, I _love_ freckles. The more freckles the better, I say."

"I'm just not comfortable taking my shirt off, all right."

"You realise I've seen you naked dozens of times at this point."

"It's not you I'm worried about. I don't ever take my shirt off in public."

Alicia made a scoffing sound in the back of her throat and switched legs. "We're hardly in public. Who's going to see us here behind your house? Mrs Krenshaw? I highly doubt she'd care about your scar. Seeing you shirtless would probably give her the first orgasm she's had in thirty years."

"That's a horrific image," George grunted as he dropped to the grass beside her. "Roll over."

Alicia obliged and smiled innocently up at him. "You really would be more comfortable without that hot, stifling fabric clinging to you."

George shook his head and grabbed hold of her right thigh. He pushed back on her leg till her knee hit her chest. "I take it you aren't going to shut up till I'm half-naked?"

"You know me so well already," she said sweetly, fighting the urge to wince as her hamstring was stretched to its limit.

George stared down at her for a moment before switching legs. Alicia could tell he wanted to give in to her, but the instinct to keep his stupid scar covered was strong. She was confident she'd break him of the habit sooner rather than later. During sex she could detour over to it now and press her lips to it without him freaking out and she was consequently less and less disconcerted by it every day. Progress all around.

Except even after weeks together, he still didn't walk around shirtless in front of her much, which was frankly a bloody travesty.

George released her leg and sat back on his heels. "Look, I don't want anyone to see my scar and be disgusted by it. Worse still, I don't want anyone seeing it and being reminded of the Battle."

"You can't worry about other people and their personal issues though. If they have a bad reaction to your scar then that's hardly within your control."

"I have control when I don't let anyone see it," he replied. "I don't want to upset anybody."

Alicia sighed and began to stretch her arms above her head leisurely. "I think you're being overcautious, but I suppose it's your body at the end of the day. Just don't come crying to me later when you end up with heat stroke."

George rolled his eyes and said, "I really doubt I'm going to end up with heat stroke, but whatever." He yanked his shirt over his head in one fluid motion. "You win."

"Yes I bloody do," Alicia chirped, sitting forward and clapping her hands gleefully. "Now lie down with me and enjoy the sun while it lasts."

She lay back down and patted her leg invitingly. George accepted the invitation and pillowed his head on her thigh. She sighed blissfully and closed her eyes. Her limbs became heavy; her muscles loosened and relaxed as if the sun was melting away some tension she hadn't been aware she'd been carrying. Her hand fell to George's head and she stroked his hair idly.

"It's not something I'm going to just get over, you know."

"I know," Alicia replied softly. "But if this scar is going to be there for the rest of your life then maybe you're better off embracing it."

"Showing it off you mean?"

"Not exactly. When people do happen to see it you should just own it though. It's not something shameful or sordid. You got it doing something heroic. Anyone who's disgusted by it can grow the fuck up."

"It's not that simple," George said flatly.

They lay there in silence for a while. Alicia wasn't sure what she could say anymore. He'd lived with the scar for years already without progress so he was hardly going to suddenly embrace it all just because she told him he should. There was history and trauma and anger and whatever else attached to it. There was a lot to untangle, but Alicia wasn't one to be put off easily. She needed to know the full story though. She'd avoided asking him to relive the ordeal, but now he seemed a little more open and receptive. Maybe he was ready to share with her.

"Can you tell me about it?"

George was silent for a moment and she assumed the answer was going to be no. "I figured you'd have heard the story from someone else by now."

"No one told me anything. I'd have stopped them anyway. I want to hear it from you, not a third party who wasn't even there. But only if you're ready to talk about it."

"You might not like what you hear," he warned.

"I'm definitely not going to like what I hear. I think I need to hear it though. At least so I can get an idea of where you're at with it."

"I'm much better these days. It was years ago remember."

"Yeah. But you have a daily reminder of the Battle that most other people don't have. It makes sense that it'd be a longer road to recovery for you."

George let out a resigned sigh. "I'll give you the gory details then, but you have to promise not to pity me. I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me."

"No one pities you," Alicia assured him, letting her hand trail down to cup his cheek briefly. "You're a hero as far as I'm concerned."

"You might not think that after hearing this."

"Georgie…"

"All right," he huffed. "I've never worked out exactly when it happened. Voldemort hadn't given Harry that ultimatum yet so it was before midnight at least. After you and I got separated I went off with Angelina, Katie and couple of other DA members to guard a passage and it was quiet for a while. I almost went back to the hall to find Kingsley to see if he had something more useful we could be doing."

Alicia could remember that moment. It was the calm before the storm. Everything had seemed peaceful, almost as if the whole thing had been a hoax. It hadn't felt like they were in the midst of a fight to the death. It hadn't lasted too long though.

"I never got the chance though and in the end I'm glad I didn't leave the corridor," George continued. "Everything hit at once and suddenly the walls were shaking with the impact of dozens of spells. Eight Death Eaters appeared out of nowhere and it was mayhem for a while, but everyone held their own well enough. We gradually broke apart though and starting fighting in pairs. I think that was our first mistake. We should have kept up a united front and not let them separate us."

"That was their plan all along. We were kids fighting against grown men with years of experience, so it's hardly surprising we played right into their hands," Alicia said.

George hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose…but hindsight, you know. Anyway, I eventually ended up on my own. It wasn't anyone's fault; it was hard to keep track of who was around at any one time. I only had one of the foul gits with me so I wasn't too worried about being alone. I had him on the run so all I had to do was hit him with a well-aimed trip jinx.

"I stunned him while he was down. It happened while I was kneeling to disarm him. I shouldn't have turned my back on the empty corridor. It wasn't really empty. Someone was there the whole time. He was Disillusioned."

"Lying in wait," Alicia said bitterly. "You couldn't have known someone else was there in the corridor with you."

"Maybe, but I still should have kept my guard up. I was cocky. I'd just knocked out a Death Eater. I felt invincible. I couldn't wait to drag him to the hall and show everyone how well I'd done." George was quiet for a second, then he cleared his throat and continued. "The second Death Eater hit me in the back with a full-body bind. I fell forward on to the first one, completely paralysed from head to toe."

Alicia swallowed hard. An awful thought entered her mind and she realised it would have been simpler for the Death Eater to hit him with an Avada while his back was turned. The idea that he'd immobilised George so he could then drive a blade into his stomach made bile rise in her throat. That was torture. That was a whole other level of sadism she wasn't prepared for.

"He never took his mask off," George said, his voice becoming raspy. "He spoke though so I heard his voice. He flipped me onto my back and laughed once he saw my face. He said it was his lucky day. He said he'd caught himself a weasel."

"He knew who you were?" Alicia asked.

"I don't think it was a coincidence he called me a weasel. I guess my whole family was on Voldemort's hit list and my red hair was a dead giveaway. He never called me George though. Or Fred for that matter. I doubt he knew of us that intimately since he spoke with a heavy accent. It was Eastern European I think, but I'm not good with that sort of thing. Plus, I was busy being terrified."

Alicia groped around till she found his hand. She squeezed it. She honestly didn't want to hear anymore, but she had asked for it so she figured she ought to let him continue.

"That's when he pulled out the knife. I don't remember it being fancy or particularly magical looking. It was a bit like a short dagger. He held it in front of my face so I could see how sharp it was before he lifted my shirt. He said he wanted to see what my insides looked like."

"Oh God," Alicia said, her breath hitching as she imagined herself standing by and watching that nightmarish scene. She wanted to tell him to stop; she hoped he would just end the story right there.

"I remember it burned," George said. "It might've just been the dark magic. Maybe it always feels like that when someone cuts you open. I don't know what was supposed to come next because a noise nearby spooked him."

"Who was there?"

"I never found out. They ran past our corridor without stopping, but it was enough to get the Death Eater to scarper. I don't know how long I was lying there paralysed. It felt like an hour, but I suppose I'd be dead if I'd been there for that long. Eventually the spell wore off enough that I could call for help. Bill, Fleur and dad found me."

Alicia scrambled up on her knees, causing George's head to hit the grass with a thump. She threw herself on top of him, burying her face in his neck quickly so he wouldn't spot the tears in her eyes. She squeezed him, wanting to feel every inch of him alive and well beneath her. He held her just as tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"That's it. That's the story."

"It can't be. Where's the Death Eater now? Please tell me he's dead."

"I don't know. All I know is he wasn't one of the lot thrown in Azkaban. He probably didn't die during the battle either."

Alicia pulled back far enough to look down at George. "So you're saying he escaped?

"The official term Aurors use is 'unaccounted for'." George brushed some loose strands of hair from her face before continuing. "But yeah…he escaped. A fair few of them got away that night but eventually most were caught. They all turned on each other pretty quickly once their necks were on the line. Lucius Malfoy himself named two dozen or so Death Eaters he knew hadn't been rounded up. My old mate wasn't one of them though."

"How does anyone know for sure? If you didn't see his face then you can't identify him."

"The Auror department recorded every interview they conducted and they let me listen to the ones with foreign Death Eaters. I didn't recognise any of the accents. None of them even knew of an Eastern European man being there that night. He's a ghost."

Alicia sat up then as she realised she was becoming rather sweaty lying on George like that. She crossed her legs and rested her elbows on her knees. It was all a little strange. Why would a Death Eater have been hiding in a corridor and not fighting? Was George his target? Why bother to target a relatively minor player in the war?

She frowned thoughtfully as her mind started making leaps and bounds. "Maybe the accent was a ruse. What if it was someone you knew all along?"

"That doesn't change anything. I'm still here with this foul scar and they're in the wind."

"I could ask Chris if he knows anything about a Death Eater with an accent."

George narrowed his eyes. "I thought you said he didn't hang around with Death Eaters."

"He didn't. But his dad was right in the thick of it so he might have seen or heard something by chance. Wouldn't hurt to ask," Alicia said with a shrug.

George sat up, leaning back on his hands and giving her a solemn look. "No. I don't need Warrington thinking I'm some sort of damaged charity case. I told Harry and Ron to drop the investigation years ago. I want you to drop it as well. Speculating won't do us any good. It certainly won't make the scar disappear."

Alicia reached out and tentatively pressed her fingertips to the angry, red slash that marred his pale skin. As always, it was warmer than the rest of him. "It's dropped then," she said firmly. "Thanks for telling me what happened. I wish I could have been there to stop it happening, but I was likely unconscious. I have no excuse for not being there after though. I was cheerily skipping around Paris while you were still in pain and trying to find the man who hurt you."

"We were barely friends," he reminded her. "Never mind the weird history we had that made it awkward to be together. I never begrudged your decision to leave. I know it wasn't as if it was a choice between me and Paris. You don't owe me anything."

"_Everyone_ owes you. Is there an award higher than the Order of Merlin, First Class?" George snorted and Alicia folded her arms resolutely. "I'm serious. Can we get you knighted? Or a sainthood even?"

"I'm pretty sure another George got to the saint thing before me." He reached over and cupped her cheek. "I appreciate your support, I really do, but I don't need you to take up my cause. I definitely don't need any award or title."

Alicia leaned forward and kissed him soundly. They fell back on the grass and snogged for a while, forgetting the stifling summer heat and the fact they were in public. George eventually rolled on top of her and broke the kiss.

"Tell you what I could do with," he said. "A bloody shower. You've made me all sweaty."

Alicia smiled angelically up at him. "So sorry. Scrub your back to make up for it?"

* * *

_My dearest Alicia,_

_I trust this letter finds you well. I must apologise for the lateness of my reply. I rarely venture out to the post office these days. I'm afraid your letter remained there unread for two weeks. News of the match at Hogwarts did reach me here on the island and I was most happy to see your name listed for our Gryffindor team._

_I very much appreciated your invitation to attend, but unfortunately, I believe my days of international travel are behind me. Please pass on my thanks to Harry and Ginevra as well. I'm glad my donation to the school was put to good use. I was never much of a flyer back in the day, but I loved nothing more than to cheer on our side from the stands._

_I know you will do us all proud and I look forward to hearing your account of the match in our next correspondence._

_Stay safe, poppet, and give Jake my love._

_Yours,_

_Tiberius J. Ogden_

Alicia refolded the letter and smiled to herself. It was comforting to see the looping, formal handwriting again. She'd spent months scouring his notes so she knew it well. It was nice to be called poppet again too. Tiberius had called her that during their first few weeks in Paris because he kept forgetting her name. After that it became a term of endearment he kept using.

He was like a grandfather to her so she was ecstatic to finally receive his reply. The wait had been agonising and she'd been on the verge of asking Harry if he could find out whether Tiberius was all right over there. Alicia hadn't really expected him to be able to come back to Scotland either. International portkeys were rough at the best of times and Tiberius was in his mid-nineties now.

Maybe she could go and visit him soon. She'd almost gone to stay with him for a few days following her split with Chris, but she'd ended up at one of Marie's summer houses in Majorca instead.

Alicia nibbled at her sandwich and stared off into the distance. A holiday with George would be nice. She was thinking it was about time to let Jake know that she wasn't only friends with him. Not that Jake would completely understand the implications of that yet.

The match was in three days, then after that she'd be free to spend a little time abroad. George certainly deserved a break. Perhaps he'd be up for visiting France with her and spending time with the friends she'd made over there.

"Can you come for lunch then? Who's here with you today?"

Alicia dropped her sandwich in surprise. She hadn't been expecting to hear that familiar voice yet.

"I hired a new girl," came George's reply from just outside the door to the Wheezes storeroom.

"Oh yeah. Anyone I know?"

"You might recognise her, yeah."

Alicia jumped to her feet just as George came through the door, followed closely by Lee.

"Bloody hell!"

"Lee!"

"Alicia?"

She ran over to hug the stunned man as George grinned at them both and said, "Did I forget to mention in my last letter that she was back already?"

"I didn't think I'd get to see you till the day of the match," Lee said, his eyes scouring her face. "How long have you been back?"

"I moved back to London a couple of months ago. I only started working for the twins recently."

Lee let go of her and turned to look at George. "Why am I always the last to know everything?" he demanded. "Anything else I need to know?"

"A few minor things," George replied coyly. He exchanged a knowing look with Alicia then said, "Why don't you two go to lunch instead and I'll watch the shop?"

"But my break's almost over."

George waved that comment away carelessly. "Don't worry about it. You two have a lot of catching up to do and I'll be seeing Lee later at dinner anyway. Go and have fun."

"You're the best." Alicia went over and kissed him on the cheek. "I guess it pays to be sleeping with the boss, huh."

"Excuse me, what?"

Alicia laughed and grabbed Lee's arm as he stared at the two of them in shock. "I'll explain down at the 'Sticks. Come on."

"What the hell's been going on back here? You and George are…something?"

"We're a couple," George answered. "So hands to yourself at lunch, mate."

"Merlin's balls. No one tells me anything!"

Alicia ended up having to drag Lee out of the shop as he fired questions at them. Out on the street she looped her arm around his and started towards the Three Broomsticks.

"It's only been a few weeks so there are plenty of other people who don't know we're together. It's not like you're literally the last to know."

"I got a letter from George barely a week ago and he didn't mention you at all," Lee huffed.

Alicia knew he hated being left out. She'd spent a fair amount of time with Lee back at school thanks to the classes they took together. They'd been the only two Gryffindors to take Care of Magical Creatures and Astronomy all the way to NEWTs. Lee always paired off with her because he knew she was shy and uncertain when it came to mingling with the other houses. He never ditched her, even when there was some girl in the class he was trying to get off with.

Conversely, she had looked out for him after the twins left. Lee was suddenly without his two best friends and he became a little listless and despondent. Alicia made sure to include him in her little group with Angelina and Katie. Maybe that was when the seed was planted with Katie?

"So you're living alone in London?"

"Sort of…"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Alicia smiled and shook her head. "I suppose a busy man like yourself wouldn't have time to read trash like the Daily Prophet."

"I've barely had time to scratch my arse lately. I've been a little preoccupied for the past two months trying to infiltrate a black market for magical creatures that operates out of Croatia."

"That's brilliant," she enthused, squeezing his arm briefly. "You've done such great work over the years. That time you took down the African warlord was my favourite."

"He wasn't a warlord yet," Lee replied modestly.

"But he was illegally using magic to make muggles do his bidding so it was only a matter of time before he became one of the most powerful men in Africa. He might've been untouchable then. God knows how many hundreds of lives you saved by exposing him."

"I have a team helping me, you know. It's not like I go in alone to pull off these exposés."

"But it's your voice we all hear on the radio. You're the one front and centre during all those nail-biting moments. Honestly, you're like James Bond or something. Do you know who that is? Don't worry, we'll watch a movie together sometime."

Lee gave her one of his customary bright smiles. He didn't look all that different to how she remembered him years ago. Perhaps a little skinnier now that she looked him up and down closely. His dreadlocks were long enough that he could tie them up at the nape of his neck and his twinkling eyes were still full of mischief. Alicia couldn't really blame Katie for keeping up her little arrangement with him.

They entered the Three Broomsticks and settled at an empty table close to the bar. Alicia picked up the menu and gave it a cursory look even though she wasn't hungry and she knew the whole thing off by heart. Anything to stall the proceedings.

"So, I take it there's something else you need to tell me," Lee said, fixing her with an expectant look. "I didn't miss that weird little moment between you and George."

Alicia sighed and stood back up. "I'll go get us a couple of firewhiskeys first."

He chuckled uncertainly. "Isn't it a little early in the day for whiskey?"

She patted him on the shoulder as she walked past and said, "Trust me. You're going to need it."

* * *

A/N: Felt like I needed a Lee scene. He needs more love in the fandom.

Next time I'll have a quidditch match for you. Probably split into two parts at this stage. Thanks for reading!


	18. The Reigning Champs

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope this update find you safe and healthy. Here's the first part of the long awaited reunion match. Thanks for reading!

* * *

Christopher paused momentarily outside the stadium. He had no idea how to approach this situation. Part of him wanted to just find his seat in the stands and watch the match unfold however it might. Except the conversation with Pucey had been running through his head all night.

They were going to target Alicia. Whether it was to punish him or get back at her wasn't clear. Maybe Flint merely saw her as the easiest target since she was so out of practice. It didn't matter that they were adults now and would be playing a charity match in front of thousands, Flint still had the same bloodlust and disregard for the rules.

Christopher's relationship with Alicia was constantly evolving. Only yesterday she'd stayed to chat to him for a bit before taking Jake home. He supposed they were friends now. He'd never had a female friend before so he was in unchartered waters, but everything seemed to be going all right. They weren't arguing and they kept their topics of conversation light and impersonal.

No matter what she was to him now, he couldn't stand back and watch her get hurt because of him. Not when he could do something to prevent it. They certainly had a chequered past, but he'd never hated her enough to want to see her hurt. He wouldn't wish Flint's wrath against his worst enemy.

There was nothing else for it then. Christopher shook off his uncertainty and veered off towards the change rooms. Saying something to Alicia probably wouldn't help the situation. She could end up being put off her game and he didn't want to worry her unnecessarily. It was the job of other players on the team to protect her anyway. He had no choice but to find the idiot gingers.

He heard Flint's distinctive grunting coming from one of the rooms, so he hurried by it, his head bowed. Female laughter drifted out of the next change room so he kept going around the corner to the last one that would contain the rest of the Gryffindors.

The door was closed and it creaked loudly when he shoved it open. One of the twins was standing right on the other side digging around in one of the lockers. He looked up and frowned.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Which one are you?" Christopher asked, not wanting to draw the encounter out any longer than necessary.

"George."

"Fine. I have to talk to you about something."

"Are you serious? The match is starting in fifteen minutes."

"It's about the match," Christopher replied tersely. "I found out that –"

Potter and his ridiculous head of hair popped up from around the corner and cut him off. "Fred! Did you find it yet? We're running out of time so you might as well borrow my spare."

Christopher sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose "Wait. I thought you were George."

"No, I'm George," said the other redhead as he appeared from behind Potter.

"What the hell. How old are you two?"

"I think they'll still be playing that particular trick when they're eighty," Potter intoned.

"It's not our fault."

"You should be able to tell us apart by now."

"The day I can tell you two apart is the day I top myself." Christopher took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He was only there for one reason. "Look, whatever. You're both here now so it doesn't matter. I have something to tell you."

"You better make it quick. Oliver will be back with the Chasers in a minute."

"It's about Alicia." Christopher shut the door behind himself in case anybody walked by. "I found out from someone that the Slytherin Beaters are going to be targeting her out there."

"The Beaters are going to target a Chaser, eh?" one of the Weasleys said. "Congratulations. You've just worked out how Quidditch is played. What a shame you won't be out there today."

"Just shut up," Christopher snapped. "We're talking about Flint here so it's going to be malicious targeting. They're going to try to take her out of the game."

"How'd you hear about this?" Potter asked, folding his arms and frowning deeply.

Christopher hesitated. He had hoped no one was going to ask for his source. "It was Pucey, all right. He left a wrist guard behind and had gone back to get it when he overheard Flint talking to Derrick and Bole about it."

"We know what we're doing," (possibly) George said firmly. "It's always been our job to protect the Chasers."

"I know that, but you need to pay special attention to Alicia. Flint will make the call at some point and they'll be after her. He wants her out of the game for whatever reason, and he'll break the rules to get it done."

"How do we know this isn't some sort of ploy?" Potter asked. "You get us to concentrate on Alicia when the target is really Angelina or Katie. How do we know you're telling the truth?"

Christopher let out a weary sigh. He was getting nowhere with these idiots. "You don't. What do I stand to gain though? I was left off the team; my loyalty to them is non-existent. Alicia doesn't deserve to get hurt because Flint can't take it out on me anymore."

"It's almost admirable of you. But I can't help but notice you haven't marched into the Slytherin change room and told _them_ to leave her alone."

Yep. The one on the left was definitely George.

"Because that would do no good. It could even make matters worse. It's in your hands now and it'll be on _your_ heads if she gets hurt. I've done my duty to her by coming here to warn you."

"Have you though? Seems to me all you've done is the bare minimum."

Christopher turned sharply on his heel and wrenched the door open. He ducked his head out to make sure the coast was clear then he slipped out into the corridor and took the long way back out to the stands.

The crowd was chanting Potter's name now, egged on by Jordan in the commentary booth. The responding boo from one end of the stadium was rather muted. The war was long over but it didn't do anyone any favours to side against Potter, no matter what the circumstances. Any criticism of him these days was whispered behind cupped hands.

Christopher didn't give a shit either way. He was there as a fan of Quidditch so it didn't matter to him who won. It'd be a great game. So long as Alicia kept her wits about her. She'd been surprisingly confident when he spoke to her the previous afternoon. She was a solid player, but prone to getting side-tracked and thrown off when the opposition attacked hard.

He hoped maybe he'd taught her to be a little tougher over the years. She wasn't the meek little thing she'd been back at school, but his former housemates had conversely honed their own intimidation skills over the years. It was going to be an epic battle of wills.

Christopher checked his ticket and headed for the designated stand. He was sitting right in the middle of Gryffindor territory. Alicia had organised three tickets for himself, Jake and her mother. He could have bought his own ticket somewhere else, but he loved nothing more than watching Jake at a Quidditch game. He wouldn't pass up the opportunity to watch him see his mother play for the first time.

"Over here, Papa!"

Christopher noticed the little hand waving at him. Jake was already jumping up and down, decked out in red and gold. There was a corresponding twinge deep down, but Christopher shook it off. It wasn't like Jake was choosing Alicia over him – he wasn't even playing.

"Christopher," Alicia's mother said politely, giving him a cursory smile.

"How are you, Evelyn?"

"Well, thank you."

Christopher took his seat and Jake immediately hopped up on his knee. He hadn't seen Alicia's parents in years. Her father had accepted him with open arms, in fact they still corresponded occasionally. Jacob was a local bank manager, which had come in handy more than once. Being a Muggle meant he couldn't get into Hogwarts, but he would be listening at home on the wireless.

Her mother had been a little more dubious and a lot less forth coming. Christopher had tried hard for a while to win her over, but he never got very far. She likely knew his relationship with Alicia was doomed from the start. Mothers always knew that sort of thing.

"Look, grandma bought me a flag," Jake said, grandly waving a Gryffindor flag in the air.

"That's great."

"I'm glad you think so because I got you one to wave as well," Evelyn said, handing an identical scarlet flag to him.

He recognised the familiar smirk right away – he'd seen it all too often on her daughter's face.

"Great," Christopher repeated blandly.

* * *

"This is going to take forever," Angelina grumbled. "Your hair is way too long."

"I said you didn't need to bother with mine," Alicia reminded her. She concentrated on twisting strands of Katie's smooth blonde hair between her fingers.

"It's our pre-match ritual though. We have to plait each other's hair without using magic!"

"And how does shagging Lee fit into your pre-match ritual?" Angelina asked. "I'm sure that wasn't part of it back at school."

"Shut up about that already," Katie snapped, turning her head sharply and causing Alicia to drop the plait she was working on. "I told you, I missed him and it's not like there was a risk of Oliver showing up. He has a very strict rule about no sex before a match."

Angelina made a gagging noise in Alicia's ear. "Way too much information, Kate."

"How much longer do you think you can juggle the two of them without them finding out?" Alicia asked.

"Lee's staying for another week but Oliver's leaving for his friendly match against Japan in three days. I think I can manage till then."

"Then what?"

"They'll both find girlfriends eventually and I'll be off the hook," Katie said. "You're making a big deal out of something that is simple. They know I shag other people when they're not around and I fully expect they do the same. Everyone's on the same page here."

"But neither of them is sleeping with your friend without telling you."

"Lee and Oliver are hardly best mates."

"Shh," Alicia said, tugging lightly on Katie's hair. "I can hear the crowd chanting something."

"They're saying Harry's name. Merlin, he's going to regret agreeing to play today. It's one thing to have everyone _think_ you're a Quidditch superstar – now he has to prove it."

Alicia had to agree with Angelina there. The public could be unnecessarily brutal at times, she just hoped Harry was up to it. Deep down though she was glad he was playing. It took the focus off her. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about her and Christopher; at the very least no one had asked about him during their last team interview a few days ago.

He was going to be out there sitting in the stands with Jake and her mother. That made her nervous for some reason. He'd always loved to critique her playing style and she'd always told him to bugger off. Now she wished that she'd listened to him at least a little.

"Ready to go, ladies?" Oliver asked, bursting into the change room without bothering to knock.

"Jesus! We could have been naked, you prat," Alicia scolded him.

"Still naked fifteen minutes before the match? I should bloody hope not."

Alicia rolled her eyes and quickly finished off Katie's second plait. Angelina finished a few seconds later for all her whingeing about it. They all went to put on the last of their protective pads, helping each other to tie them up like always.

"Right. Grab your brooms and let's go."

Alicia retrieved her new Comet and clutched it to her chest. It was a brilliant broom and it bolstered her confidence to know she could count on it to smooth over some of her more dubious flying out there.

Silently, the three of them filed out of the change room behind Oliver. Thankfully, he didn't subject them to much of a speech this time around. There wasn't much left to say really. He'd said it all during their training sessions. Not to mention they had mostly memorised it from school anyway.

"All we have to do is remember to play as a team. I'm sure that will be Slytherin's downfall. They were never a team to begin with, meanwhile we never stopped being a team," Oliver said firmly. "Let's go out there and show everyone we've still got it. Show no mercy, all right."

"And have fun?"

Oliver turned to Fred and shrugged. "Yeah. I guess so."

Alicia took George's hand and they left the change room together and headed for the pitch behind the others.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Nervous. Also excited and eager to be back playing my favourite game. I think I'll be fine once I'm in the thick of it and I forget about the crowd."

"Stay sharp out there. Keep your eyes open for trouble." She turned to him questioningly and he squeezed her hand comfortingly. "You know what Slytherin are like. It's not worth getting injured over a charity exhibition match."

"I'm not worried," Alicia said. "I have the best Beaters in the world watching my back."

"The best in the world now, huh?"

"Without a doubt."

The team stopped at the end of the tunnel and waited for Lee to finish calling the Slytherin team out. Alicia took up her spot in the line-up between Angelina and Katie then mounted her broom.

"Over to the reigning champs now! I have the distinct privilege of introducing the victorious Gryffindor team from the 93/94 Hogwarts Quidditch season. We have Wood, Johnson, Spinnet, Bell, Weasley, Weasley aaaand Potter!"

Alicia kicked off and zoomed out of the tunnel behind Angelina. They did a lap of the stadium and came to a halt in front of the commentary box. Lee was there beaming at them from behind his custom, gold-plated magical microphone. Behind him sat Kingsley Shacklebolt and Professor McGonagall. They were wearing matching Gryffindor scarves and cheering along with everyone else.

The crowd was going wild, showing no sign of stopping so the match could begin. Alicia had never experienced anything like. She supposed Oliver and Angelina must be used to it by now as they didn't seem bothered by the noise. People had come from all over the world for a chance to see the one-and-only Harry Potter play Quidditch. The match was sold out so there was five thousand people there, not to mention the thousands more across Europe who would be listening in to the broadcast over the wireless.

Her dad was one of them. He'd never get the chance to watch her play, but he could at least hear Lee's commentary, which was really just as good as being there. Her old boss Marie had informed her she would be listening along in Paris. Tiberius might even be listening as he sipped a cocktail on a tropical beach.

There was one person in particular she wanted to make proud. Her Quidditch-obsessed son was somewhere in the stands right now, likely screaming his lungs out and jumping up and down like a maniac.

"Unfortunately, we weren't able to coax Madam Hooch out of retirement for the match, but we do have Rufus Osmond, the eminent league referee here to oversee proceedings."

The team dove in a neat formation towards the centre of the pitch. The Slytherins were already lined up next to the referee. Flint looked even bigger in person and Alicia was glad Oliver was the one who was facing off against him. She stood opposite Pucey, who was studiously avoiding eye contact with her.

"Hello, Adrian."

He gave her a slight nod and continued staring at her knees.

"Looking good, Johnson," Montague commented, leering at Angelina. "You busy later? I've got a broomstick right here you can ride after the match if you're interested."

"Really? That's what you're gonna go with?" she asked curtly, looking dubiously at his crotch. "Because female Quidditch players never get sick of hearing _that_ line."

"It always works for me, love."

"Not this time I'm afraid. Unless it was your intention all along to make my vagina drier than the Sahara Desert…in that case, you've succeeded. Well done."

Alicia burst out laughing and she was sure she saw the corner of Pucey's mouth twitch as well. Katie reached over and slapped Angelina on the shoulder as Montague glared daggers.

"Everything all right over there?" Fred asked.

"Your fiancée has it under control," Alicia answered.

"Thought so. Just wanted to check."

"Listen up! I want a clean game, you lot!" the referee shouted from the head of the line. "I won't put up with any shenanigans out there. Now, you two shake and let's get on with it."

Oliver shook hands with Flint then turned and nodded at the team. Everyone mounted their brooms and kicked off, taking up their positions in the sky. The ref tossed the Quaffle up towards them and the game began.

It was a frenzy for a moment as possession changed hands several times within the first minute of play. Alicia hung back, feeling overwhelmed. She'd forgotten what the pace was like at the beginning of a match. Both teams fought for dominance till Angelina took hold of the ball and shot towards the Slytherin goal posts.

Alicia followed but was too far back to be of much help. Not that Angelina needed it. She took her shot, faking left then throwing to the right. Bletchley dove the wrong way.

"Amazing! Some brilliant work from the Arrow's Chaser. Retired now of course and what a loss she will be to the league. Her stats speak for themselves, folks. A high conversion rate and consistently in the top ten scorer list since her debut. On a happier note, Miss Johnson is recently engaged and I have it on good authority that she is way out of her fiancé's league."

Alicia gripped her broom hard and tried to concentrate on the game. Back at school she'd always had the ability to sink into the match, so much so that she could block out the crowd, the commentary and the world at large. That was why Oliver often made her take penalties; she had an ability to zero in on that one task and she'd had the highest success rate of any player at Hogwarts.

All she could hope for now was a chance to get into that headspace. Forget the important people who were watching on and play the game the way she'd been taught.

"That was an obvious blatching foul, Montague! Penalty against Slytherin!"

Alicia looked over to see Angelina snarling at Montague as he raised his hands in feigned innocence. The referee held the Quaffle aloft, waiting for someone to take the penalty. Alicia glanced at Oliver and he gave her an encouraging nod. She swooped down and accepted the ball. The crowd switched from booing to cheering.

"Alicia Spinnet, recently returned from a sojourn in France, steps up to take the penalty shot. This woman rarely misses and I'll bet my golden microphone that she won't miss this time. You got this, Alicia."

A hush fell over the crowd as Alicia squared off against Bletchley. She'd done that plenty of times in the past, but now he was a professional player. He wasn't the best Keeper in the league (Gryffindor had him in front of their goals) but he was still a decent enough player who had years of training behind him. She couldn't focus right now on how outmatched they were. Nor could she simply shoot and hope for the best. She wasn't the type to think all you had to do was believe in yourself and visualize something in order for it to happen.

Alicia _did_ know that she had worked her arse off over the last couple of months. She'd put in the hard work and the long hours. She was back up to scratch and there was no way she could let her nerves get the better of her now. She'd come too far from that.

An eerie ringing started in her ears. The crowd was drowned out; Lee's commentary was a mumbled hum in the background. Her vision tunnelled and all that was in front of her was Bletchley and the goal posts. _Her_ goal posts.

She shot off towards them, knowing that if she was hesitant and tentative about it she wouldn't stand a chance. Her swift approach certainly seemed to catch Bletchley a little off-guard. He started to fly out to meet her, obviously hoping to intimidate her into messing up her shot.

Alicia gritted her teeth and threw the Quaffle. It was a risky move to go for the far post. In fact, Oliver would probably give her a lecture about it later. The crowd 'oohed' as one. Bletchley's outstretched hands missed the ball by mere inches and it sailed through the goalpost.

"Spinnet with the second goal of the afternoon! What a superb start for the Gryffindor team. Let's see if they can keep up this momentum."

Turns out they could. Angelina scored another three goals before Slytherin even really got into the game. Montague finally scored their first points almost twenty minutes in. He was struggling, having to do most of the Chasing on his own as Pucey was still off-pace and Flint resembled a mountain gorilla riding a twig. No Snitch sighting as yet, but Alicia had been keeping half an eye on Harry and Malfoy, who were hovering near each other, eyes relentlessly roaming the pitch.

"Bell scores! Gryffindor leads sixty to ten!"

Alicia cheered and whooped along with the crowd as Katie wheeled around in the air and waved to the Gryffindor supporters nearby. At the last second, out of the corner of her eye, Alicia spotted a black blur shooting towards her. She ducked just in time, throwing herself flat on her broomstick. The Bludger whistled by. It was so close that she felt the whoosh of displaced air against the back of her neck.

"Foul!" George shouted. "She didn't even have the Quaffle!"

Alicia straightened up in time to see George in hot pursuit of the Bludger that had almost taken her head off. Fred zoomed over and patted her on the shoulder. "You okay there? Brilliant reflexes, kid. Don't worry, George is taking care of Bole as we speak – he's a dead man flying. You just stay sharp, all right."

The referee hadn't seen the initial incident. He did however see George's blatant cobbing foul on the Slytherin Beater. Montague managed to get the resulting penalty past Oliver.

Gryffindor lost a little of their momentum and Slytherin simultaneously found a little of theirs. They scored again, right before Harry took off at break-neck speed, aiming straight for the ground. Malfoy stayed put; there was no way he could catch up with Harry, not without some illegal play at least. He seemed to have finally learnt his lesson there. Either that or he didn't have the bollocks to try it in front of five thousand people. Alicia figured it was most likely the latter.

The crowd gasped as Harry pulled out of the dive at the last possible second. The Snitch was gone, but the crowd were on their feet, cheering Harry's name again. He looked a little bemused and embarrassed as he returned to his usual spot above the match.

Everyone had stopped to watch the spectacular dive, Alicia included. She did a three-sixty spin on her broom and looked around for her girls. Angelina had the Quaffle nearby, and right before Pucey closed in on her, she threw it. As Alicia reached out to grab it, another Bludger hurtled towards her. She dodged it quickly and returned her attention to the Quaffle.

She reached out, her fingertips touching it briefly. At the same moment, in her peripheral vision, Derrick swung his bat upwards. He connected with the underside of her arm, right where there was a gap in her wrist guards.

Alicia was sure she heard her bones snap, even over the noise of the crowd.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter is half finished already so hopefully will be up in a week or so. Thanks for reading, reviewing, following. It really spurs me on to keep writing when I know people are looking forward to my updates. So thanks, guys!


	19. For Gryffindor Or For Glory

There was a delay of about three seconds. Alicia just froze there in the air, shocked and angry. Then the pain hit and it was like a bolt of lightning shooting from her fingertips to her shoulder. Her eyes rolled back in her head and the world spun around her. It was all she could do to stay on her broom. She slumped forward, barely managing to hold onto the handle with her left hand.

"No! Hold on!"

Angelina was there suddenly, taking hold of her and trying to keep her from falling off her broom. The movement jostled her injured arm and a fresh round of searing pain hit. She screamed this time.

"I need your help, George!"

"I'm here! I've got her."

Alicia must have blacked out for a few seconds, because next thing she knew she was heading slowly towards the ground, sandwiched in between Angelina and George. Her arm was dangling uselessly between her legs. When they finally reached the pitch, she stumbled. Her legs were unable to support her. She felt weak and dizzy and ill.

George tossed her broom aside and scooped her up in his arms.

"Careful! Be gentle and slow, for God's sake!" Angelina shouted from somewhere behind her.

The crowd was shouting. Lee was also shouting. Alicia pressed her head to George's shoulder and tried to drown it all out. She had never broken a bone before so she had no idea if it was supposed to hurt this bad.

"It's all right, Leesh. I can see Madam Pomfrey coming out of the medical tent."

Alicia couldn't muster the strength to turn her head so she had to take George's word for it. She did hear a familiar voice a few seconds later.

"Merlin's beard! This was supposed to be a friendly match to raise money for charity!"

"I think my arm is broken," Alicia mumbled weakly.

"My dear, your arm is definitely broken. Bring her into the tent, Mr Weasley, and place her on a bed. Mind you don't bump that arm."

George did as he was told and gently deposited her on a stretcher once they were inside the medical tent. Someone must have cast a Muffliato spell on it as it was substantially quieter inside. The crowd was reduced to a low hum outside.

"Is she going to be all right?" Angelina asked, coming up beside George.

"I'm going to kill him," George said, his hands clenched into fists. He turned to leave but Alicia grabbed the back of his robes.

"You stay," Angelina said firmly. "I'll take care of Derrick. We'll _all_ take care of Derrick. You just make sure she's okay."

Angelina squeezed Alicia's knee before she stormed out of the tent.

"I'm going to cut away your wrist guard," Madam Pomfrey was saying.

"I don't want to look at it." Alicia grasped George's hand tightly. "Will you look for me?"

He nodded. Madam Pomfrey muttered a quick Diffindo and Alicia felt the guard fall away from her arm. She kept her eyes averted to the roof of the tent and asked, "How bad is it?"

"Umm. So it's not exactly…straight anymore. But there aren't any bones poking out of your skin, so that's good."

"Quite so, Mr Weasley. A direct hit like that could have easily caused a compound fracture. Your protective pads seem to have lessened some of the impact at least. It looks like a nasty break all the same, so you'll need to hold very still while I use a diagnostic spell."

Alicia bit her lip and brought her gaze back down to meet George's eye. He looked very pale and sweaty. He gave her a weak smile then a quick kiss on the forehead. Oliver came striding into the tent then, looking positively enraged.

"That fool says he was aiming for the Bludger," he said tightly. He looked down at her arm briefly and winced. "Never mind the fact that the Bludger was nowhere near you at the time."

"I'm going to mistake his head for a Bludger when we get back out there," George muttered.

"Have at it," Oliver said. "I'll save the penalty that you give away. No problem."

"No one needs to get vengeance on my account," Alicia said, feeling a tingle run the length of her arm as Madam Pomfrey rattled off a string of spells beside her. "Besides, I doubt Derrick came up with the idea on his own."

Oliver nodded. "You're right. His last two brain cells are preoccupied with food and sex. Flint had to have told him to hit your arm from beneath to cause maximum damage."

"You've broken both your radius and your ulna, Miss Spinnet. Thankfully the breaks are fairly clean. I'll have to reset the bones first then I'll be able to heal you quick smart. There won't be any lasting damage."

Oliver started mumbling under his breath and began pacing back and forth. Madam Pomfrey tutted and ducked around him to busy herself at a small cabinet on the other side of the tent.

"Don't worry, I'll stay right here till your arm is better," George said firmly. "The team can manage without me for a while."

"We'll play defensive and protect our lead. Have to have a word with Harry…" Oliver muttered to himself, rubbing his chin

Madam Pomfrey returned with a vial of lurid purple liquid in her hand. "Here you are, Miss Spinnet. Straight down the hatch in one go is best. I'll give it a moment to kick in before I start manipulating your arm."

"Uh…but that's a strong pain-relief potion."

"Yes it is," the older woman said impatiently. "You're going to need it if I'm going to reset your bones."

"But if I take that potion I won't be able to get back up in the air," Alicia said. She tried to sit up on the stretcher, but failed when she put her weight on her right side and received a jolt of pain for her troubles.

"That's right. I'm afraid the match is over for you, dear."

A flash of panic hit Alicia and she grabbed a handful of George's robes and pulled herself upright. "No, no. That's not how this is going to end."

"You know the rules as well as any of us," Oliver said.

No flying under the influence. Obviously she knew that. Pain potions messed with you just as much as Muggle medications. Playing Quidditch after a pain-relief potion was about as advisable as piloting a helicopter after a shot of morphine.

"You can reset the bones without the potion, right?"

"Leesh…"

"I can do that, Miss Spinnet, but it's not advisable. It's going to be very painful and it might take more than one go."

"This is absolutely ridiculous," Oliver said, folding his arms obstinately. "There's no way you're going through with this, Alicia. Not for a bloody charity match. We can win this without you…no offence."

"It's not a team decision," Alicia said firmly. "I'm not doing this for Gryffindor or for glory or any bollocks like that. My boy is out there watching me and he's probably worried and upset right now. I'm going back out there for him. And for myself. Only I get to decide when the match is over for me and I'm nowhere near done yet."

"It's still madness!"

"Listen, Oliver, why don't you go tell Lee that Alicia's fine," George suggested. "That way he can announce it to the crowd and Jake will hear it."

"Fine. Just let the record show that I value your well-being over a meaningless Quidditch match."

Alicia gave her captain a weak smile as another wave of pain made her head spin. "Thanks, Oliver. You're off the hook on this one. I'm the one deciding to risk life and limb this time."

"All right. Our time-out is almost over so I better get back out there. We'll hold on as best we can till you're both able to re-join the match."

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" George asked once Oliver had left.

Alicia nodded and lay back down. "I can handle it. I've experienced childbirth remember. This'll be a walk in the park compared to that."

"All right then, Miss Spinnet. I'm going to straighten the bones then use a spell to knit them back together. You must remain very still while I do this. If the bones aren't straight when I heal them you won't have full use of your arm. You'll have no choice but to have all the bones from your elbow down vanished and regrown. That will definitely mean no more Quidditch today."

"I understand," Alicia said. She turned her head toward George. "Distract me. Please."

He clutched her hand and hummed thoughtfully. "Uh, okay. Why don't you tell what it was like when Jake was born? You've never told me the story."

"Mostly I was terrified. He came nine days early, throwing all my plans out the window. My mother wasn't even due to come to Paris for another three days. It was just Chris and I and neither of us knew what to expect. It was just the two of us in an unfamiliar Muggle hospital."

"But you got through it," George pointed out. His eyes flickered over to Madam Pomfrey and he swallowed thickly. "How long did it take? I heard it can take hours sometimes."

"Eighteen all up," Alicia answered tightly. She could feel a set of cold fingers probing at her arm now. "It felt like it was never going to end. Eventually I was barely getting a chance to breathe in between contractions. After hours and hours of labour I knew I couldn't take much more. Neither could Jake. His heart rate started dropping more and more with every contraction."

George was staring at her wide-eyed, seemingly caught up in the story now and forgetting what was going on over on the other side of the bed. "What happened?"

"They gave me one last chance to push before taking me in for surgery." Blinding pain hijacked all her senses for a second, but she held still, teeth gritted and eyes concentrated on George. "I did it. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I did it. Chris said I screamed and grunted and swore like a sailor, but I don't have much memory of that part. It was like an out-of-body experience. I still don't know where I found the extra strength to push."

"You're amazing," George said earnestly, brushing her hair back from her face. "To go through all that without your friends and family around you took more strength than a lot of people have. Not to mention what you're doing now is incredible. I can't wait to see Flint's face when you go flying back out there."

The pain in her arm gradually began to ebb away and Alicia realised Madam Pomfrey must have done the spell already. She relaxed her tight grip on George's poor hand and let out a deep, cleansing breath. "It takes more than a couple of broken bones to knock me down these days."

"I'll run a few more diagnostic spells to be certain, but I think we can call that a success, Miss Spinnet."

Alicia smiled gratefully at the other woman. She then glanced down at her arm, which looked perfectly normal, aside from a little swelling and a bruise on her wrist. "Thank you for healing me."

"All in a day's work, my dear. I've had more than enough practice with that particular spell. How many of your bones do you think I've healed over the years, Mr Weasley?"

"Oh…not _that _many really."

Madam Pomfrey tutted and shook her head. She went back over to her cabinet and George lowered his head and whispered, "Only because Fred and I worked out how to heal each other's bones in third year."

Alicia chuckled, once again in awe of her boyfriend's magical skills. "Speaking of Fred, you better get back out there. I bet he's struggling to control the Bludgers without your help."

"Are you sure? I don't mind waiting with you some more."

"The team needs you. We can't lose this match now. I'll be back up there as soon as I get the all clear."

"I do still have the urge to hit something…or someone," George admitted. "Don't come back out till you're one hundred percent though. I'll let Oliver know you're fine. See you out there."

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips then jogged out of the tent. Madam Pomfrey returned with a pot of some lumpy paste. She sighed heavily and began to dollop it onto Alicia's arm. "He's going to crack someone's skull, isn't he?"

"Quite possibly."

"Merlin help me."

Alicia dutifully lay still while the matron applied her concoctions then prodded and poked her. She then ran her arm through a series of exercises to test the strength and movement of it. Alicia passed all these with flying colours so was given permission to return to the game. Finally. She had missed a good half hour of play by now.

"Folks, I'm happy to report Alicia Spinnet has just re-emerged from the medical tent and she appears to be fine. Give us a wave, Alicia!"

Alicia dutifully waved at the crowd and gave the commentary box behind her a thumbs up. Everyone cheered, which was still an odd feeling, but it was nice all the same to have the support of thousands of strangers.

"Unfortunately, Gryffindor is behind by sixty points," Lee continued, "and they'll still have to finish the game a Chaser down. Scoring will be very hard for them from now on. We haven't had a Snitch sighting in a while either. This game could drag on for hours yet so settle in!"

Alicia found her broom by the edge of the pitch. She retrieved it and mounted it, waiting for a break in play so she could return to the sky. Eventually Flint scored, having flown straight at Oliver like a human Bludger.

"What's this? Spinnet is back in the game!"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Flint shouted as she flew past him. "You can't be out here!"

Alicia ignored him and went to join her fellow Chasers. Angelina high-fived her and slapped her on the back. Katie shrieked "That's my girl!" and seized her in a headlock. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Flint arguing with the referee.

"Yes, unbelievable but true. I've just received confirmation that Alicia declined to take a painkilling potion during her treatment so she's free to re-join the match. You heard it here first. A blatantly illegal move all came out to nothing for the Slytherin team. Just goes to show you can't keep a good woman down. Kick some Slytherin arse, Alicia! Wait. Can I say arse? I don't remember what the rules are back here."

"How about a roast turkey now that you're back?" Angelina suggested as the three of them huddled together in the middle of the pitch.

"What about a Yorkshire pudding?" Katie asked.

"Actually," Alicia said, grinning at her friends, "I was thinking we could try a pumpkin pie for old time's sake."

"Are you sure you can handle a pumpkin pie right now?"

"Absolutely."

"Fine. I'll make the call when it's time."

"Why did Oliver have to use food as code for our plays?" Katie grumbled. "I'm fucking starving right now."

Flint lost his argument, as Alicia had done nothing wrong. Play resumed and Oliver threw to Katie. There wasn't any lag this time for Alicia. She was right up to pace from the beginning so she was perfectly positioned when Angelina called the play. The three of them pulled off a textbook Hawkeshead attack and Angelina scored through the centre hoop.

The momentum started to shift back to the Gryffindors bit by bit. Alicia kept her eyes open for another illegal attack, but the Slytherin team didn't seem too bothered with her anymore. They were too busy scrambling to hold their lead. They started making mistakes though, and as Oliver had predicted, they ended up bickering amongst themselves and their erstwhile team harmony imploded.

Still no Snitch though. Even after Harry performed a perfect Wronski Feint, which almost sent Malfoy face-first into the ground. The Gryffindor team had already agreed beforehand that it wouldn't be enough to just win the match; they wanted to outscore the Slytherin Chasers. They owed the paying spectators a good show, after all. So as agreed, Harry was doing his best to keep Malfoy off the trail so that the girls could score a few more.

An unprovoked attack on Oliver while he wasn't in possession of the Quaffle drew a penalty, which Alicia put away with ease. The score was level again. The crowd was in a frenzy, chanting and clapping in unison. Being out amongst that was the best feeling ever and for a moment Alicia regretted not pursuing Quidditch after school. But she reminded herself that it wasn't all fun and glory; Angelina had confirmed as much with her stories.

"We've just hit the two and a half hour mark, my friends! What a match we're witnessing, This is history in the making and I couldn't be happier to be here. Oh! There goes Katie Bell with another spectacular goal. Nice one, Kate!"

In the end the crowd saw it before Lee did. Everyone jumped to their feet as one. Harry and Malfoy were racing across the pitch, back towards the Gryffindor goalposts.

"They've spotted it again! Malfoy is right on Potter's tail! They're neck and neck! Potter makes a desperate grab, almost leaping off his broom."

Alicia was too far away to see for herself. When the crowd erupted though, she knew the outcome and streaked across the pitch. Harry threw his hand aloft, the struggling Snitch held tightly in his grasp. A stunned and dejected Malfoy was shoved aside as the Gryffindor team descended on their Seeker.

"The one-and-only Harry Potter catches the Snitch and Gryffindor wins! What a stunning victory! The team rejoices as one!"

Alicia was in the middle of the tangle of bodies. She heard Oliver behind her, professing his love for Harry. Katie was kissing everyone and whooping like a maniac. Fred and George had already begun singing the team's victory song. Alicia wriggled out of the mass of sweaty bodies and made her way over to the stand that she knew Jake was sitting in.

She spotted him almost immediately. He was sitting atop his dad's shoulders with a Gryffindor flag in each hand. She couldn't wait to squeeze him when she saw him after the celebratory feast. For now, she waved and blew him some kisses before heading to the ground to join her team.

Her feet had barely touched down before George scooped her up in a bear hug and spun her around. She giggled and clung to him.

"We have a surprise for everyone back at the change rooms," he said in her ear. "Fred and I organised some victory robes for everyone so we can stand out at the post-match party. Wait till you see them. They're bright red and covered in pouncing lions."

"Yes! I can't wait!"

George kissed her then and she felt like she had won the actual World Cup this time, never mind the Hogwarts Cup.

"And the Gryffindor team celebrates in style once again," Lee crowed. "I must admit I'm having flashbacks to 1994 right now. Though there does appear to be more snogging going on than I remember last time. Why, even captain Oliver Wood is joining in by…uh…kissing Chaser Katie Bell. Yes. That's what I'm seeing right now. Quite a long kiss it is too."

Alicia pulled away from George in time to see Katie wriggling out of Oliver's grasp and turning to the commentary box, her cheeks pink and her eyes wide.

* * *

Christopher glanced at his watch and wondered if it was too early to escape the nightmare he was currently in. Every discussion taking place around the table either involved women, Quidditch, or money. In any other circumstance these would be three of his favourite topics of conversation, but he didn't feel like engaging with any of his former housemates any longer. He'd stoically endured every joke at his expense and he'd been more than gracious given the treatment he'd received over the last few years.

Dinner was finished now and the dancing had kicked off. Alicia's mother would be bringing Jake back from Hogsmeade once they'd finished their own dinner at the Three Broomsticks. Christopher figured he could at least wait to say goodnight to Jake but there was no way he was going to stay at this table any longer.

He was preparing to make his excuses when all conversation at the table suddenly ceased. A hand dropped onto Christopher's shoulder and he knew it was her without having to turn around. He could tell by the looks on all the faces around him.

"What do you want, Spinnet?" Flint sneered.

"Evening, lads," she replied brightly. "Great match today. My arm feels fine, by the way, so no hard feelings there, Derrick."

"What do you want?" Flint repeated slowly.

"I came to ask Chris to dance with me."

"Well _Chris_ doesn't want to dance with you."

"Mmm. I'm pretty sure he's a big enough boy to make up his own mind, Flint."

"Don't you have a weasel of your own to dance with? Go annoy him."

"Hello, Adrian," she said, ignoring Flint's dismissal completely this time. "You played really well out there today. I saw you pull off some pretty stellar moves."

Predictably, Pucey kept his head down and pretended he hadn't even been addressed. He'd had no issues interacting with Alicia when it was just the three of them, like back in France or the other week in the garden, but in front of the other blokes he was reverting to his sycophantic schoolboy routine. Mustn't rock the boat and risk upsetting Flint or Malfoy. Absolute fucking ponce.

"You've still got it as well, Spinnet."

Everyone sniggered at Montague's comment as it obviously wasn't in reference to her Quidditch skills. Alicia's hand tightened briefly on Christopher's shoulder and he cursed himself for not leaving five minutes ago.

"_You_ can fuck right off, Montague," Alicia snapped. "Don't think I don't know when I'm being groped. I was too timid to speak up back at school but I'm not a frightened little girl anymore."

"If my hand accidentally grabbed your tit instead of the Quaffle it's hardly my fault. You should strap those things down when you play," Montague replied, earning guffaws all around and a high-five from Higgs.

Christopher was clenching his jaw so hard it was beginning to ache and his hands were balled into fists beneath the table. But he still didn't step in. He still couldn't tell them to leave her alone. He couldn't defend her honour even though he was sure he wanted to. The words wouldn't leave his mouth and he didn't know why. He probably didn't want to know why.

He was clearly no better than Pucey. Two fucking cowards still submitting to the feeble, de-fanged Slytherin hierarchy.

"You're nothing but a disgusting sex pest," Alicia continued from behind him. "If you ever touch me again I swear I'll hex your dick off."

They all laughed derisively at her threat. Everyone except Malfoy, who had barely looked up from the tabletop the whole time Alicia had been there. Obviously Lucius had told him to be on his best behaviour and an altercation with someone who was practically a Weasley would not look good for their new image.

Montague got to his feet and grinned a lascivious grin that made Christopher's stomach clench. "So that's why you're so cranky, Spinnet. You miss Slytherin cock, yeah? Aaw. Here, since you're clearly desperate you can have a look at mine. No touching though. I don't know what you might have caught off Weasley."

Alicia made a disgusted noise and Montague began to unbuckle his trousers beneath his robes. He might be drunk enough to actually do it, Christopher realised. Before Montague could unzip, he slammed his palms down on the table. "Enough already," he barked, getting to his feet swiftly. "Let's go and bloody dance then."

Alicia, having got what she wanted, smiled sweetly at the glaring occupants of the table. Christopher took hold of her elbow and drew her away before she could say anything else.

She slapped him lightly on the arm as they made their way to the dancefloor in the middle of the Hall. "Oi, why'd you drag me away so fast? I had a great comeback ready for Montague then. I was gonna tell him not to bother getting his cock out because I didn't have a microscope handy. Get it? Because it's microscopic."

Christopher just stared down at her, utterly flabbergasted. "Are you insane? Why would you antagonise them like that?"

"_I_ antagonised _them_?" Alicia stopped in the middle of the dancing couples and petulantly stuck her hands on her hips. "Are you serious? All I did was come over and say hello and ask you to dance."

Christopher snatched up one of her hands and manoeuvred her into a waltz pose, even though the music playing was a little too fast paced for slow dancing. "What exactly did you think was going to happen when you came over in those ridiculous robes?"

Alicia looked down at her lurid, bright red ensemble. "Oh yeah. Do you like them? We got a set each. Fred and George paid for them actually."

"Well, you literally just waved a red flag in front of some bulls. I'm honestly beginning to worry about you and your need to put yourself in dangerous situations."

Alicia just rolled her eyes, obviously still unwilling to admit she had a problem. "Like they would have done anything in front of all these people. And for the record, I'd rather not be within five feet of any of your housemates. I waited for you to leave the table but you just kept sitting there looking more and more miserable by the minute."

"I'll have you know I was about to leave when you showed up. Now I'm stuck dancing to rubbish music, surrounded by people I hate."

"You're a miserable old tosser, Christopher Warrington. I know your team lost but can't you lighten up a little. Try smiling." Christopher gave his best attempt. Alicia just threw her head back and laughed. "You look constipated."

"Thanks a lot. What do I have to smile about anyway? I missed out on playing in an historic Quidditch match and we ended up getting beaten. Then I almost had to see Montague's hideous appendage."

"Oh, don't worry about him. I've sorted it. He won't bother any women ever again."

Christopher closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. Why couldn't she leave well enough alone? "What have you done?"

Alicia gave a little shrug as if it was no big deal, but the huge smile on her face gave away how proud she was of herself. "I noticed he kept sending his pretty young date over to get him a drink so I made some idle chit-chat to distract her while I slipped a little something into his punch. Piece of cake."

Christopher glanced over at the table he'd just vacated and found Montague chatting away animatedly, not looking or behaving any different. "Go on then. What did you slip him?"

"A cracking little potion the twins accidentally created last year. They wanted to come up with a potion that replicates the effects of Viagra. You know, the pill that helps old Muggle men get stiffies. Fred lost the coin toss and had to be the guinea pig for the first batch. Nothing at all happened so he called it a failure and went to bed. He got up some time in the middle of the night to use the loo but couldn't. His poor little fella had shrivelled up to about the size of a peanut."

"Good God," Christopher muttered.

"Yeah. Angelina woke up to find him running around the place screaming 'My willy's gone!' at the top of his lungs. Said it was the funniest thing she's ever seen. He told her to destroy the potion immediately, but of course she bottled it up instead. She gave Katie and me a vial each to use on any blokes who harass us. I'm hoping it kicks in right as Montague's about to treat his poor date to some mediocre sex. Unfortunately the effects only last three or four hours though."

"He's going to realise it was you. You literally just threatened to hex his dick off and in a few hours that's pretty much what's going to happen to him. He's going to retaliate."

"Then _I'll_ tell the Daily Prophet all about his penchant for groping unsuspecting women. We'll see whether the Falcons bother to keep him on the team roster after that scandal."

Christopher shook his head and fought the urge to smile. "And here I was thinking I was going to be the one to bring out your Slytherin side. Turns out it was Weasley who turned you into a devious little witch."

"Maybe I am turning to the green side a little," she said thoughtfully, "because I feel no remorse whatsoever. That dickless wonder deserves to be truly dickless for a while."

Christopher nodded in vague agreement but didn't make any reply. He tried to concentrate on dancing for a while. The tempo of the music was too fast for any steps so they resorted to a steady sway. Couples around them were bopping around excitedly and women were getting spun and dipped. It was far too exuberant for his liking and he was glad that Alicia hadn't tried to goad him into doing anything like that. She would have known he'd flatly refuse to do anything more than slow dance.

The stark reality was that Alicia now knew him better than anyone else in the Great Hall. She also seemed to be the only one there who cared about him. His so-called friends had been content to add to his misery, yet she had put herself in an uncomfortable situation to come and cheer him up. And he hadn't even had the balls to defend her when they started with the horrible comments. He was a piece of shit who didn't deserve her friendship or even her consideration.

Christopher cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "You played really well today. Best I've ever seen you play probably."

Not really an apology, but it was the best he could do given his apparent shittiness as a human being.

"Thanks. I was nervous at first but once I got into the flow it was like I'd never stopped playing. I was really happy out there."

"Is your arm truly fine?"

"Yeah, it healed perfectly. Pomfrey hasn't lost her touch, that's for sure. And I suppose I'm lucky my first major Quidditch injury happened when I was an adult."

"Flint certainly wasn't expecting you to get back out there. He whined about it for a good ten minutes during the feast."

"What about you? Did you think I was down and out?"

Christopher shrugged. "I had a feeling you'd try to return. I just didn't know if Weasley would be able to talk you out of it."

"He didn't even try. He trusted I knew what I was doing. How did Jake handle it all?" Alicia asked.

"He was furious. You should have seen him stomping up and down and shaking his little fists in the air. He seemed to know you were fine though – didn't cry or anything."

"That's my boy. I guess we're lucky he's seen enough Quidditch injuries in his time to know which ones are truly bad."

Truthfully, it could have been much worse than a couple of broken bones. It shouldn't have happened at all though. He'd warned those idiot gingers and Alicia had still ended up being hurt.

Speaking of…

Christopher noticed a familiar face staring at them from a table on the other side of the hall. "Did you not tell your boyfriend you were going to dance with me?"

"No. Why?"

"Because he's giving me a very nasty look right now."

Alicia glanced over her shoulder. She turned back and rolled her eyes. "That's Fred, you twit. You seriously can't tell them apart yet? Jake got the hang of it within about a week."

"Give me a break. They're wearing identical robes and I'm looking across a poorly lit, crowded room."

Alicia glanced left and right then frowned up at him. "It actually feels like a lot of people are staring at us right now."

"I think you're right," Christopher agreed after running his eye over the crowd. More than a few people shirked away when he met their gaze. He suddenly felt like some sort of sideshow oddity. "What's the big deal anyway? We can't be the first Gryffindor and Slytherin to procreate."

"I'm pretty sure we're the first since Voldemort's defeat. Maybe that's why everyone's acting weird."

"Either that or they're waiting for Weasley to come over and give me a bollocking for dancing with you."

"Yeah, I bet that's it. Everyone loved a good fight back in the day. Except George isn't like that though so everyone's going to be sorely disappointed."

Christopher still had serious doubts as to Weasley's supposed sainthood but he at least knew not to voice his opinion. His filtering was almost seamless these days.

"Do you think people will stare even more when Jake shows up? I don't want him to get upset by the attention."

Christopher briefly squeezed her hand reassuringly. "He'll be all right. Besides, I doubt he'll notice anyone else is even in the hall once he realises the amazing Oliver Wood is here. Jake's adjective of choice, by the way, not mine."

"But Oliver did play pretty amazing today – even you can't deny that." Alicia looked up at him, blue eyes large and plaintive, and Christopher knew what was coming before she even opened her mouth. "I'm sorry you didn't get to play in the match. I still don't know what Flint was thinking when he selected the team."

"He was punishing me obviously."

"Well, his pride ended up costing him the match because Slytherin would have stood a chance if you'd have been up there."

Christopher smiled at her, his first genuine smile of the evening no less. "I think you may be overstating my rusty skills slightly, but thanks."

The current song ended and the next began. Alicia tightened her grip on his shoulder as he tried to step away. "Just one more song. Please."

"All right," Christopher said, relenting with very little protest. "But this is absolutely the last one. This music is giving me a migraine."

"Oh, that's a shame. I was actually thinking of finding you someone else to dance with after me."

"Do you have anyone particular in mind?" Christopher asked. He eyed the few women nearby critically. One or two interesting prospects but probably not worth the hassle in the end.

"I don't know yet. I'm narrowing the list down in my head as we speak."

"Cho Chang is still looking quite fit," Christopher said, unashamedly eying the attractive raven-haired witch as she chatted away at a nearby table. "And it looks like she's here without a partner."

"The only reason she came without a date is because she's engaged to a Muggle."

"So you're saying she's technically not married yet."

Alicia wrinkled her nose in that way he'd always found endearing. "Gross, Chris. Please don't be that guy. Try someone else."

"What about the woman she's talking to then? With the curly hair?"

"Marietta Edgecombe? Urgh, no. She's a cow."

Christopher raised his eyebrows pointedly. "Do you think maybe I can decide that for myself?"

"I'm doing you a favour. Try literally anyone else in the room and it will be an improvement."

"Katie Bell," Christopher offered with a knowing smirk.

Alicia narrowed her eyes at him. "If you so much as smile in her direction I will borrow some more of that dick-shrivelling potion from Angelina."

"Relax. I was mostly kidding. Isn't she with Wood anyway? Everyone in the stadium saw them kiss after the match."

"They're not officially together – at least I don't think they are. No one seems to know what's going on there. Including Katie herself."

"Sounds rough. Let her know I'm always available if she needs a broad shoulder to cry on."

"You're not amusing, you know."

"Sorry. I'll take this absolutely seriously from now on." Christopher looked around, squinting as if he was really concentrating. "Okay. How about those twins who were in Potter's year? I've always fancied being with identical twins."

Alicia shook her head and tutted. "That's you taking this seriously, is it?"

Christopher laughed at her exasperated expression. "Come on, you must realise I'm not going to give you a say in this. It's not up to you to decide who I dance with or shag or do anything else with."

"I'm only trying to look out for you," she replied contritely

"It's the double standard that isn't fair. I never got to voice my opinion on Weasley before you went and threw yourself at him."

"You voice your opinion on him all the time!"

"And even if I tell you a thousand times that he's not good enough for you you'll ignore me every single time. Yet I'm just supposed to take your word for it that what's-her-face over there is a cow?"

Alicia sighed dramatically. "Go bloody shag her in an empty classroom for all I care. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"Believe it or not, I don't want to shag anyone here tonight. Unless of course your mate has decided to ditch that dim-witted Keeper."

"You are impossible," Alicia said slowly, hitting her forehead against his shoulder to punctuate each syllable.

Christopher smiled to himself and pulled her in closer to him. He rested his chin on the top of her head and let himself just hold her for a moment. A conversation like the one they'd just had would have devolved into a screaming match normally. Their relationship was changing – becoming more of a give and take rather than a straight tug of war. It was less exhausting and a hell of a lot more rewarding.

"Chris, can I talk to you about something?" she asked, pulling away and looking up at him.

He tried to read her face, but couldn't pin down whether she was upset or merely anxious about something. "Of course."

"It's about when I left Paris. It's about _why_ I left Paris."

"Do you want to go somewhere private?"

Alicia never got to answer as they were interrupted at that moment. Someone tapped Alicia on the shoulder and her head whipped around.

"Excuse me, Miss Spinnet. Do you think I'd be able to steal your dance partner away for the next song?"

Christopher glanced over Alicia's shoulder to find Narcissa Malfoy smiling serenely up at him. Alicia turned back and clearly mouthed '_what the fuck' _to him. That was entirely his sentiment as well. He understood the questioning look in her eye. If he didn't want to dance with the other woman then Alicia would have no problem telling the Malfoy matriarch to leave him alone. But he was curious.

Christopher gave Alicia a tiny nod and she stepped out of his arms and said, "Of course, Mrs Malfoy. I was about to go and find George anyway. Thank you for the dances, Christopher."

"Anytime. We'll talk later."

Alicia gave him one last flabbergasted look then disappeared into the crowd. Christopher extended his hand towards Narcissa as some blessedly slower music began to play.

"Thank you for agreeing to dance with me. I hope I didn't interrupt an intimate moment between the two of you," Narcissa said, slipping one of her small, cold hands into his.

"No. Nothing intimate."

"Lovely. You see, I've been meaning to get hold of you all evening, Christopher."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing and following. The next chapter is nice and long as well and it's almost ready to go. Just needs a few tweaks. Unfortunately, Flint isn't quite done messing with Alicia yet.

And I'm open to suggestions regarding Katie and her love triangle. I can't decide what she should do, which always happens when I attempt love triangles. So if you have a preference let me know and I'll see if there's any sort of consensus. I could go either way with it, tbh. She can also pick neither of them and stick to her guns about not wanting a relationship. What do you guys think?


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